p. 


LIBRARY  OF  THE  THEOLOGICAL  SEMINARY 

PRINCETON,    N.    J. 

John  M.   Krebs  Donation 


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THE    EPISTLES 


or 


ST.  PETER  AND  ST.  JUDE 


PREACHED  AND  EXPLAINED 


BY 

/ 
MARTIN  LUTHER. 


laittmbfrg,  1523=^. 


TRANSLATED,  WITH  PREPACK  AN'D  NOTES, 
BY 

E.    H.    GILLETT. 


NEW   YORK: 
ANSON    D.    F.    RANDOLPH 

No.   683    BROADWAY. 
1850. 


Entered  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1859,  by 

E.    H.   GILLETT, 

In  the  Cleric's  Office  of  the  District  Court  for  the  Southern  District  of  New  York. 


EDWAllD   0.    JENKINS, 

Prtntrr  &  .Stcrrotgprr, 
No.  26  FiiANKFoiiT  Street. 


PREFACE  BY  THE  TRANSLATOR. 


Several  years  ago,  among  the  dusty  piles  of  old  pam- 
phlets stored  away  upon  the  upper  shelves  of  the  Union 
Theological  Seminary  library,  I  met  with  several  works 
of  Luther,  in  the  original  editions,  as  they  were  issued 
during  his  lifetime  from  his  press  at  Wittemberg.  Among 
them  were  his  Commentaries,  or  rather  Lectures,  on 
the  Epistles  of  Peter  and  Jude.*  The  forbidding  as- 
pect of  the  page,  with  the  obsolete  spelling  of  its  words, 
and  its  somewhat  coarse  typogi'aphy,  was  rather  an  in- 
citement to  master  it ;  for  here  Avas  Luther,  presenting 
himself  to  the  eye  of  the  reader  just  as,  more  than  three 
hundred  years  ago,  he  presented  himself  to  the  eyes  of 
thousands  of  his  countrymen.  Upon  a  partial  perusal 
of  the  Commentary,  I  became  satisfied  that  it  would  repay 
a  more  attentive  study ;  and  finding,  upon  investigation, 
that  it  had  never  been  translated  into  English,  I  set  my- 
self to  the  task  which  had  been  so  long  neglected.  The 
pleasing  labor  was  accomplished,  and  the  manuscript  laid 
aside  for  several  years.  The  conviction,  confirmed  by  a 
re-perusal  of  it,  that  others  besides  myself  would  be  in- 
terested in  the  work,  has  led  me  to  determine  on  its  pub- 
lication. 

Luther's  Commentary  on  the  Galatians,  excellent  as 
it  is,  is  too  voluminous  and  expensive  to  be  very  exten- 

*  Another  copy  of  this  same  edition  of  Luther  on  Peter,  belonging 
to  a  clergyman's  library  which  was  sold  at  auction  in  this  city,  four  or 
five  years  since,  brought  an  almost  fabulous  price. 


4  translator's  preface. 

sively  circulated,  while  the  phraseology  of  the  early  trans- 
lation, which  has  not  been  modified,  prevents  its  proper 
appreciation  by  modern  readers.     And  yet  any  one  that 
would  truly  know  the  man,  and  the  secret  of  his  power, 
must  study  these  in  his  writings.     The  Connnentary  on 
the  Epistles  of  Peter  and  Jude,  presented  m  a  literal  but 
more  modern  style  to  the  English  reader,  is  not  liable  to 
these  objections ;  and  yet,  in  the  variety  of  its  themes, 
the  clearness  of  its  exposition,  the  stinging  force  of  its  re- 
bukes, the  simplicity  and  directness  of  its  language,  it  is 
scarcely  surpassed  by  any  of  Luther's   other  writings. 
On  the  great  subject  of  justification  by  laith  alone,  he  is 
here,  as  in  his  Commentary  on  the  Epistle  to  the  Gala- 
tians,  full  and  emphatic.     The  relation  of  faith  to  works 
is  clearly  and  carefully  defined,  while  the  subjects  pre-, 
sented    in   the   text  afford   full  opportunity  for    discus- 
sing the  great  questions  that  concern  the  relative  duties 
of  civil  and  social  life.     The  volume  thus  becomes  at 
once  a  manual  of  doctrine  and  of  duty.     On  the  founda- 
tion of  faith  is  reared  the  superstructure  of  a  Christian 
life.     Luther  is  seen  to  have  fully  apprehended  the  force 
of  all  the  objections  that  could  be  urged  against  his  teach- 
ings, and  with  convincing  ability  he  vindicates  them  from 
every  charge.     Throughout  the  volume  we  have  ever  be- 
fore us  the  earnest,  devout  spirit  of  the  Reformer,  for  the 
most  part  unfolding  in  the  simplest  manner  the  great 
doctrines  of  the  Gospel,   but  occasionally  indulging  in 
volcanic  outbursts  of  indignation  against  the  hierarchical 
corruptions  of  his  day,  and  pouring  out  upon  them  the 
lava-tides  of  withering  rebuke. 

It  may  seem  strange  that  this  work  of  Luther's  has 
never  before  been  translated.  But,  unlike  his  Com- 
mentary on  the  Epistle  to  the  Galatians,  which  he  him- 
self translated  into  Latin,  that  it  might  have  a  wider  cir- 


tkanslator's  preface.  6 

culatioii  among  the  learned  of  Europe,  this  was  pubUshed 
by  him  only  in  the  German  language,  which  was  little 
known  in  England,  and  hence  it  was  deprived  of  that 
notoriety  which  would  have  drawn  special  attention  to 
it,  as  well  as  of  that  Latin  dress  which  would  have  facili- 
tated an  English  translation.  It  is  well  known,  more- 
over, that  Luther  formed  a  most  humble  estimate  of  his 
own  writings,  and  was  uniformly  reluctant  to  collect  his 
works  in  volumes,  or  bestow  upon  them  any  editorial 
care.  He  seemed  perfectly  wilHng  to  have  them  sink  to 
oblivion,  and  could  not  be  persuaded  by  the  most  urgent 
representations  to  do  anything  which  might  rescue  them 
from  such  a  fate.  Besides,  it  is  to  be  noted  that  a 
perusal  of  this  volume  especially  would  soon  satisfy  the 
reader,  that  after  the  accession  of  Queen  Elizabeth  to  the 
throne,  it  stood  little  chance  of  securing  the  necessary 
approval  or  imprimatur  of  an  English  Inshop. 

Yet  the  work  is  one  of  no  little  historical  as  well  as 
antiquarian  interest.  It  has  done  its  part  in  one  of  the 
greatest  intellectual  and  religious  conflicts  of  the  world. 
It  is  the  sword  that  a  giant  wielded,  and  that  has  done 
execution  on  a  broad  field.  In  the  great  armory  of  the 
Reformation-writings,  scarcely  anotlier  deserves  a  more 
conspicuous  place.  It  presents  those  views  of  the  relative 
spheres  of  Divine  and  human  authority  which  became 
prevalent  wherever  the  cause  of  Reform  advanced.  It 
unmasked  popular  errors,  rebuked  ecclesiastical  corrup- 
tion, and  vindicated  most  efiectively  the  simple  doctrines 
of  faith.  Here,  moreover,  we  see  Luther  clad  in  the 
armor  w^ith  which  he  boldly  challenged  the  Papacy  to  a 
lifelong  combat.  The  man  is  before  us,  gii-ded  for  the 
battle,  and  we  see  the  weapons  upon  which  he  relies. 
K  one  of  those  cannon  balls  with  which  English  valor 
won  the  battle  of  Cressy, — the  first  in  which   the  efli- 


6  translator's  preface. 

ciency  of  the  new  invention  was  tested, — could  be  picked 
up  there  now,  and  it  could  be  ascertained  that  it  did  ser- 
vice in  that  famous  battle,  it  would  be  an  object  of  no 
small  interest,  at  least  to  tlie  antiquary ;  but  in  regard  to 
this  treatise  of  Luther,  we  know  full  well  that  Rome  felt 
its  visitation  as  something  more  terrible  than  a  bombshell 
exploding  beneath  the  dome  of  St.  Peter's.  Under  the 
authority  of  Peter  hmiself  it  demolished  the  very  founda- 
tions of  the  throne  upon  which  his  pretended  successors 
were  seated,  and  gave  a  most  eflective  impulse  to  the 
onward  movement  of  reform. 

Nor  is  this  all.  It  is  still  capable  of  doing  effective 
service.  After  all  the  rust  and'tarnish  of  three  centuries, 
these  words  of  Luther  are  remarkably  fresh,  and  seem 
almost  like  a  living  utterance  of  to-day.  Their  critical 
value  is  not  indeed  great,  although  by  no  means  contempt- 
ible, for  the  quick  sagacity  of  the  Reformer  in  detecting 
the  meaning  and  the  force  of  the  Scriptural  argument,  is 
evident  on  every  page,  and  is  rarely  at  tault ;  but  his 
clear  views  of  the  Gospel,  his  untrammeled  freedom  of 
thought,  his  strong  good  sense,  and  his  most  effective 
energy  of  application  are  everywhere  conspicuous.  His 
language  is  uniformly  simple  and  direct.  The  exposition 
contained  in  this  volume  was  first  delivered  from  the 
pulpit.  According  to  the  title-page,  it  is  Scripture 
"  preached  and  explained,"  and  in  addressing  it  to  the 
people,  Luther  did  not  fail  to  keep  in  view  the  object  upon 
which  he  set  so  high  an  estimate,  when  he  said,  "  I  preacii 
as  simply  as  possible.  I  want  the  common  people,  and 
children,  and  servants,  to  understand  me." 

The  care  with  which  he  fortifies  his  positions  Avith 
Scriptural  citations  is  likewise  obvious.  He  rarely  pre- 
sents views  upon  any  theme  from  which  one  who  acknowl- 
edges the  authority  of  Scripture  will  feel  forced  to  dis- 


TRANSLATORS    PREFACE.  7 

sent,  unless,  "vvith  some,  the  subject  of  baptism  should 
an  exception.  In  regard  to  this,  he  speaks  Hke  one  who 
as  yet  sees  "men  as  trees  walking." 

Considerable  space  is  given  up  to  an  exposure  of  the 
errors  and  abuses  of  the  Papacy,  but  the  exposure  is 
made  uniformly  by  the  light  of  Scripture.  Vehement  as 
are  Luther's  occasional  bursts  of  indignation,  he  never 
wanders  from  the  subject,  and  never  ventures  beyond 
where  he  is  sustained  by  the  clear  warrant  of  the  word 
of  God. 

In  the  purpose  of  presenting  this  translation  to  Eng- 
lish readers,  I  have  been  encouraged  by  the  prospect  of 
affording  to  others  the  same  opportunity  of  acquaintance 
with  Luther's  modes  of  thought  and  feeling  which  I  have 
myself  enjoyed.  I  believe,  moreover,  that  his  exposition 
lias  a  high  value,  apart  from  the  interest  which  attaches 
to  it  as  the  production  of  the  great  hero  of  the  Reforma- 
tion. Occasionally,  the  views  presented  have  seemed  to 
be  such  as  required  some  explanatory  note  or  correction, 
and  in  a  few  instances  this  has  been  appended,  but  the 
necessity  has  rarely  occurred,  and  Luther  is  left  through- 
out to  speak  for  himself.  The  translation  is  strictly  lite- 
]'al,  and  almost  the  only  variations  from  the  original  are 
so  marked,  by  being  inclosed  in  parentheses.  These  will 
readily  be  distinguished  from  the  passages  or  words  in- 
cluded in  parentheses  of  the  original  text,  by  their  explan- 
atory character. 

It  would  have  been  a  far  easier  task  to  have  given  a 
more  liberal  and  polished  rendering  of  Luther's  language. 
But  I  think  most  readers  would  prefer  to  have  me  give 
them  Luther,  rather  than — the  translator.  There  are 
occasional  roughnesses  of  expression,  and  some  sentences 
which  were  evidently  not  very  lucidly  repoited,  but  they 
are  features  of  the  book  which  presents  Luther  to  us,  and 


8  TKAKSLATOK S   PREFACE. 

even  the  wart  on  the  face  must  appear  in  the  faithful 
portrait. 

For  assistance  in  the  labor  of  revising  some  of  the 
more  difficult  passages,  I  am  indebted  to  Prof.  RoBI^^so2^•, 
of  the  Union  Theological  Seminary,  and  to  Rev.  M. 
BusHE,  pastor  of  a  German  church  in  this  city.  By  their 
aid,  which  I  take  this  occasion  gratefully  to  acknowledge, 
I  feel  confident  that  nearly  every  passage,  in  which  the 
text  of  the  original  is  not  in  fault,  has  been  correctly 
rendered. 

I  had  hoped,  in  this  connection,  to  present  an  estimate 
of  Luther's  writings,  from  the  pen  of  one  of  the  most 
eminent  German  scholars  which  our  country  can  boast. 
The  permission  to  do  so  was  kindly  granted,  but  the  lim- 
ited space  allowed  for  prefatory  remark  forbids  it.  I  will 
only  add  the  expression  of  my  own  conviction,  that  from 
the  exceedingly  voluminous  works  of  Luther,  other  selec- 
tions of  high  merit  might  be  made,  the  translation  and 
publication  of  which  would  be  welcomed  with  grateful 
acknowledgment  by  a  large  class  of  American  and  Eng- 
lish readers.  I  should  be  highly  gratified  if  the  encour- 
agement afforded  by  my  words  or  example  should  induce 
any  one  more  competent  than  myself,  or  who  can  com- 
mand more  leisure  for  it,  to  prosecute  the  work  which 
I  have  only  just  begun. 

E.  H.  GILLETT. 

Harlem,  March  8th,  1859. 


THE  FIRST  EPISTLE 

GENERAL  OF  ST.  PETER 


INTRODUCTION. 

Before  we  enter  upon  this  Epistle  of  St.  Peter,  it  is 
necessary  to  j)resent  a  brief  Introduction,^  that  it  may 
be  understood  how  this  Epistle  is  to  be  ranked,  and 
in  order  that  a  right  apprehension  of  it  may  be 
attained. 

In  the  first  plag^,  it  must  be  understood  that  all  the 
Apostles  present  one  and  the  same  doctrine  ;  and  it  is 
not  correct  to  speak  oft  four  Evangelists  and  four  Gos- 
pels for  all  which  the  Apostles  wrote  is  one  Gospel. 
But  Gospel  means  nothing  but  a  proclamation  and  her- 
alding of  the  grace  and  mercy  of  God  through  Jesus 
Christ,  merited  and  procured  through  his  death.  And 
it  is  not  properly  that  which  is  contained  in  books, 
and  is  comprehended  in  the  letter,  but  rather  an  oral 

*  t^iterally,  instruction.  \  ^'ount. 

V^  [9] 


10  INTRODUCTION. 

proclamation  and  living  word,  and  a  voice  vs^hich 
echoes  through  the  whole  world,  and  is  publicly 
uttered  that  it  may  universally  be  heard.  Neither  is 
it  a  book  of  laws,  containing  in  itself  many  excellent 
doctrines,  as  has  hitherto  been  held.  For  it  does  not 
bid  us  do  works  whereby  we  may  become  righteous, 
but  proclaims  to  us  the  grace  of  God,  bestowed  freely, 
and  apart  from  any  merit  of  our  own  ;  and  it  tells 
how  Christ  has  taken  our  place,  and  rendered  satisfac- 
tion for  our  sins,  and  canceled  them,  and  by  His  own 
works  justifies  and  saves  us. 

Whoever  sets  forth  this,  by  preaching  or  writing, 
he  teaches  the  true  Gospel,  as  all  the  Apostles  did, 
especially  St.  Paul  and  St.  Peter,  in  their  Epistles. 
So  that  all,  whatever  it  be,  that  sets  forth  Christ,  is 
one  and  the  same  Gospel,  although  one  may  use  a  dif- 
ferent method,  and  speak  of  it  in  different  language 
from  another,  for  it  may  perhaps  be  a  brief  or  extended 
address,  or  a  brief  or  extended  writing.  But  yet,  if  it 
tends  to  this  point,  that  Christ  is  our  Saviour,  and  we 
through  faith  on  Him,  apart  from  works  of  our 
own,  are  justified  and  saved,  it  is  still  the  same 
Word,  and  but  one  Gospel,  just  as  there  is  also 
but  one  faith  and  one  baptism  in  the  whole  Chris- 
tian world,  y 

So,  also,  otie  Apostle  has  written  the  same  [Gospel] 
that  is  contained  in  another's  writings  ;  but  they  who 
insist  most  largely  and  emphatically  on  this,  that  faith 


INTRODUCTION.  11 

on  Christ  alone  justifies,  are  the  best  Evangelists. 
Therefore  St.  Paul's  Epistles  are  more  a  Gospel  than 
Matthew,  Mark  and  Luke,  for  the  latter  give  little 
more  than  the  history  of  the  works  and  miracles  of 
Christ ;  but  of  the  grace  which  we  have  through  Christ, 
none  write  so  emphatically  as  St.  Paul,  especially  in 
his  Epistle  to  the  Romans.  And  yet,  since  more  im- 
portance by  far  belongs  to  the  word  than  to  the  works 
and  deeds  of  Christ,  and  where  we  are  to  be  deprived 
of  one  it  were  better  that  we  should  want  the  works 
and  the  history  tlian  the  word  and  the  doctrine  ;  those 
books  are  to  be  most  highly  esteemed  which  most 
largely  treat  of  tlie  doctrine  and  words  of  the  Lord 
Christ ;  for  thougli  the  miracles  of  Christ  had  never 
been,  and  we  had  no  knowledge  of  tliem,  we  should 
yet  have  had  enough  in  the  loord,  without  which  we 
could  not  have  had  life. 

Thus  this  Epistle  of  St.  Peter  is  one  of  the  noblest  ] 
books  in  the  New  Testament,  and  contains  indeed  the 
pure  Gospel ;  for  he  takes  the  same  course  as  St.  Paul  / 
and  all  the  Evangelists,  in  inculcating  the  true  doc- 
trine of  faith, — as  that  Christ  has  been  given  us, 
who  takes  away  our  sin  and  saves  us,  as  we  shall 
hear. 

Hence  you  may  judge  of  all  books  and  doctrines, 
what  is  Gospel  or  not ;  for  what  is  not  set  forth  or  i^ 
written  of  in  this  manner,  you  may  safely  decide  to  be  j 


12  INTRODUCTION. 

false,  however  excellent  in  appearance.  This  power 
to  decide  is  one  that  all  Christians  possess, — not  the 
Pope  or  Councils,  who  boast  that  they  only  have  the 
power  to  determine. — This  is  sufficient  introduction 
and  preface.     Let  us  now  listen  to  the  Epistle. 


THE  FIRST  EPISTLE 

GENEEAL  OF  ST.  PETER. 


CHAPTER   I. 

V.  1,  2.  Petei\  an  Ajyostle  of  Jesus  Christy  to  the 
strangers  scattered  abroad  in  Pontus,  Galatia^  Capa- 
docia^  Asia  and  Bithynia^  elect  according  to  the  fore- 
knowledge of  God  the  Father,  through  sanctification  of 
the  Spirit^  unto  obedience  and  sprinkling  of  the  blood 
of  Jesus  Christ. 

That  is  the  superscription  and  subscription.  Here 
you  quickly  perceive  that  it  is  the  Gospel.  He  calls 
himself  an  Apostle — that  is,  one  sent  to  declare  a  mes- 
sage ;  therefore  it  is  correctly  rendered  in  Dutch,  a 
messenger,  or  a  twelfth-messenger,*  because  they  were 
twelve.  But  since  it  is  generally  understood  what 
Apostle  (the  Greek  word)  means,  I  have  not  rendered 
it  in  Dutch.  But  its  peculiar  meaning  is,  one  who 
bears  a  message  by  word  of  mouth  ;  not  one  who 
carries  letters,  but  a  capable  man  who  presents  a  mat- 

*  Tswolffbott  in  the  original,  for  which  we  have  no  equivalent  English 
word. 

[13] 


14  THE   FIRST   EPISTLE  [CHAP.  I. 

ter  orally,  and  advocates  it, — of  the  class  that  in  the 
Latin  are  called  Oratores.  So  he  would  now  say,  I 
am  an  Apostle  of  Jesus  Dhrist, — that  is,  I  have  a  com- 
mand from  Jesus  Christ  that  I,  from  Christ,  am  to 
proclaim. 

Observe,  here,  how  promptly  all  those  who  teach 
human  doctrine  are  excluded.  For  he  is  a  messenger 
of  Jesus  Christ  who  presents  that  which  Christ  has 
commanded  ;  should  he  preach  otherwise,  he  is  not  a 
messenger  of  Christ,  and  therefore  should  not  be 
listened  to.  But  if  he  does  this,  it  is  just  as  important 
as  though  you  heard  Christ  himself  present. 

To  the  strangers  scattered  abroad.  This  epistle  was 
written  to  lands  which  were  formerly  Christian  but 
are  now  subject  to  the  Turk,  yet  it  is  possible  some 
Christians  might  be  found  there  even  at  this  day. 
Pontus  is  a  large,  broad  region,  lying  on  the  sea. 
Capadocia  is  in  the  same  neighborhood,  and  borders 
on  it.  Galatia  lies  back  of  them.  Asia  and  Bithynia 
border  on  the  sea — extending  eastward — and  are  exten- 
sive regions.  Paul  also  preached  in  Galatia,  and  in 
Asia  ;  whether  in  Bithynia  also,  I  do  not  know.  In  the 
other  two  he  did  not  preach.  Strangers  are  such  as 
we  call  foreigners.  He  names  them  so  because  they 
were  Gentiles  ;  and  it  is  a  thing  to  surprise  us,  that 
St.  Peter,  inasmuch  as  he  was  an  Apostle  to  the  Jews, 
should  still  write  to  the  Gentiles.     The  Jews  called 


CHAP.  I.]  GENERAL   OF   ST.    PETER.  15 

these  (of  whom  we  speak)  Proselytes, — that  is,  asso- 
ciated Jews,  such  as  adopted  their  law,  but  were  not 
of  a  Jewish  family  or  the  blood  of  Abraham.  Thus 
he  writes  to  those  who  had  previously  been  heathen 
(of  the  Gentiles),  but  were  now  converted  to  the  faith, 
and  had  joined  the  believing  Jews,  and  he  calls  them 
elect  strangers,  who  certainly  are  Christians,  to  whom 
alone  he  writes.  This  is  a  point  worthy  of  observa- 
tion, as  we  shall  hear. 

According  to  the  foreknoidedge  of  God  tJie  Father. 
They  are  elect,  he  says.  How  ?  Not  of  themselves, 
but  according  to  God's  purpose  :  for  we  should  be 
unable  to  raise  ourselves  to  heaven,  or  create  faith 
within  ourselves.  God  will  not  permit  all  men  to 
enter  heaven  ;  those  who  are  his  own  he  will  receive 
with  all  readiness.  The  human  doctrine  of  free-will, 
and  of  pur  own  ability,  is  futile.  The  matter  does  not 
lie  in  our  wills,  but  in  the  will  and  election  of  God. 

Through  saimtification  of  the  Spirit.  God  has 
predestinated  us  that  we  should  be  holy,  and,  more- 
over, that  we  should  be  spiritually  holy.  Those 
precious  words.  Holy  and  Spiritual,  have  been  per- 
verted for  us  through  the  greed  of  the  preachers,  in 
that  they  have  denominated  the  state  of  priests  and 
monks  holy  and  spiritual,  and  have  thus  scandalously 
robbed  us  of  these  noble,  precious  words,  as  also  of  the 
word  Church,  since  with  them  the  Pope  and  Bishops 


16  THE   FIRST   EPISTLE  [CHAP.  I. 

are  the  Church,  while  they  do  according  to  their  own 
pleasure  whatever  they  choose,  in  virtue  of  the  declar- 
ation, "  The  Church  has  forbidden  it."  Holiness  is 
not  that  which  consists  in  the  estate  of  monks,  priests 
and  nuns, — the  wearing  of  the  tonsure  and  cowl ;  it  is 
a  spiritual  word,  meaning  that  there  is  an  inward 
holiness  in  the  spirit  before  God.  And  this  is  the 
reason  specially  why  he  said  this,  in  order  to  show 
that  there  is  nothing  holy  but  that  holiness  which  God 
produces  within  us. 

For  although  the  Jews  had  much  outward  or  cere- 
monial holiness,  there  was  yet  in  this  no  genuine  holi- 
ness. Peter  would  say  here,  God  has  predestinated  you 
to  this  end,  that  ye  should  be  truly  lioly  ;  as  Paul  also 
says,  in  Eph.  iv.,  '•  In  righteousness  and  true  holiness" — 
that  is,  in  a  genuine  and  well-founded  holiness, — for 
outward  holiness,  such  as  the  Jews  had,  is  of  no  value 
before  God. 

Thus  the  Scripture  calls  us  holy,  while  we  yet  live 
on  earth,  if  we  believe.  But  the  Papists  have  taken 
the  name  from  us,  and  say,  we  are  not  to  be  holy  ;  the 
saints  in  Heaven  alone  are  holy.  Thus  we  are  com- 
pelled to  reclaim  the  noble  name.  You  must  be 
holy,  but  you  must  also  beware  against  imagining 
that  you  are  holy  through  yourself  or  by  your  own 
merit,  but  only  that  you  have  God's  word,  that  Heaven 
is  yours,  that  you  are  truly  pious  and  made  holy  by 
Christ. 


CHAP.  I.]  GENERAL   OF   ST.    PETER.  17 

This  you  must  confess  if  you  would  be  a  Christian. 
For  it  would  be  the  greatest  affront  and  reviling  of 
the  name  of  Christ,  if  we  took  from  the  honor  due  to 
Christ's  blood,  in  that  it  is  this  that  washes  away  our 
sins,  or  from  the  faith  that  this  blood  sanctifies  us. 

Therefore,  you  must  believe  and  confess  if  you  would 
be  holy  ;  but  by  this  blood,  not  by  your  own  excellence 
must  it  be,  insomuch  that  for  it  you  would  be  willing 
to  give  up  life  and  all  that  you  possess,  and  endure 
whatever  might  come  upon  you. 

To  obedience  and  the  sprinkUng  of  the  blood  of  Christ. 
Hereby,  he  says,  are  we  made  holy,  if  we  are  obedient, 
and  believe  the  word  of  Christ,  and  are  sprinkled  with 
his  blood,  xind  here  St.  Peter  speaks  in  a  somewhat 
different  manner  from  St.  Paul.  But  it  is  in  substance 
the  same  as  when  Paul  says  that  we  are  saved  through 
faith  in  Christ ;  for  faith  makes  us  obedient  and  sub- 
missive to  Christ  and  his  word.  For  to  obey  the  word 
of  God  and  the  word  of  Christ  is  the  same  thing, 
and  to  be  sprinkled  by  his  blood  is  the  same  as  to 
believe.  For  it  is  difficult  to  nature,  hostile  to  it,  and 
exceedingly  humbling,  to  submit  to  Christ,  give  up  all 
its  own  possessions,  and  account  them  contemptible  and 
sinfuL     But  yet  it  must  be  brought  into  subjection. 

Of  sprinkling,  the  Psalm  3Iiserere  Domine  (li.) 
also  speaks  :  "  Sprinkle  me  with  hyssop,  and  I  shall  be 
clean."     It  refers  to  the  law  of  Moses,  from  which  St. 


18  THE   FIRST   EPISTLE  [CHAP.  I. 

Peter  has  derived  it,  and  he  discloses  Moses  to  our 
view,  while  he  brings  in  the  Scripture.  When  Moses 
had  built  the  tabernacle,  he  took  the  blood  of  bullocks 
and  sprinkled  it  over  all  the  people. 

But  tliis  sprinkling  sanctifies  not  in  the  spirit,  but 
only  outwardly.  Therefore  there  must  be  a  spiritual 
purification,  since  an  outward  holiness,  and  one  that 
pertains  to  the  flesh,  is  of  no  avail  before  God.  And 
so  God,  by  this  sprinkling,  has  typified  the  spiritual 
sprinkling.  As  though  Peter  had  said,  the  Jews  who 
were  in  that  lioliness  which  was  outward  were  held  as 
righteous,  and  persons  of  a  pure  life.  But  you  are 
reputed  base,  yet  you  have  a  better  sprinkling  ;  you  are 
sprinkled  in  the  Spirit,  that  you  may  be  pure  from 
within.  The  Jews  were  sprinkled  outwardly  with  the 
blood  of  bullocks,  but  we  are  sprinkled  inwardly  in 
the  conscience,  so  that  the  heart  is  made  pure  and 
joyful. 

Thus  the  Gentiles  are  Gentiles  no  longer.  The 
righteous  Jews,  with  their  sprinkling,  are  no  moi-e 
righteous,  but  all  is  reversed.  There  must  be  a 
sprinkling  which  converts  us  and  makes  us  spiritually 
minded. 

To  preach  sprinkling  is  to  preach  that  Christ  has 
shed  his  blood,  and  for  us  has  ascended  to  his  Father, 
and  intercedes,  saying,  "  Beloved  Father !  behold  my 
blood  which  I  have  shed  for  these  sinners."  If  you 
believe  this,  you  are  sprinkled.      Thus  you  see  the 


CHAP.  I.]  GENERAL   OF   ST.   PETER.  19 

right  method  of  preaching.  If  all  the  popes,  monks 
and  priests  were  to  fuse  all  the  matter  of  their  preach- 
ing into  one  mass,  they  would  not  even  then  teach 
and  present  as  much  as  St.  Peter  here  does  in  these 

few  words. 

Thus  you  have  the  subscription  of  the  Epistle, 
wherein  he  manifests  his  office  and  what  he  preaches, 
as  you  have  now  heard.  For  this  alone  is  the  Gospel, 
and  all  else  that  does  not  accord  with  it  is  to  be 
trodden  under  foot,  and  all  other  books  are  to  1)C 
avoided  in  which  you  find  some  fine  pretence  of 
works  and  prayers  and  indulgence  that  does  not  teach 
similar  doctrine,  and  is  not  confessedly  grounded 
thereon.  All  Papal  books  liavc  not  a  letter  of  this 
obedience,  of  this  blood  and  sprinkliug.  Now  follows 
the  greeting  to  those  to  whom  he  writes. 


gio^i.xx.5 


Grace  and,  peace  he  multiplied.  Here  St.  Peter 
adopts  the  Apostle  Paul's  mode  of  greeting,  although 
not  to  the  same  extent,  and  it  is  as  much  as  though  he 
had  said,  ye  have  now  peace  and  grace,  but  yet  not  in 
perfection  ;  therefore  must  ye  continue  to  increase  in 
them  till  the  old  Adam  die.  Grace  is  God's  favor, 
which  now  begins  in  us,  but  which  must  continue  to 
advance  and  grow  even  till  death.  Whoever  con- 
fesses and  believes  that  he  has  a  gracious  God,  pos- 
sesses it,  while  his  heart  gains  peace  also,  and  he  is 
afraid  neither  of  the  world  nor  of  the  devil ;  for  he  knows 


20  THE   FIEST   EPISTLE  [CHAP.  I. 

that  God,  who  controls  all  things,  is  his  friend,  and 
will  deliver  him  from  death,  hell  and  all  evil, — there- 
fore his  conscience  has  peace  and  joy.  Such  is  the 
desire  of  St.  Peter  for  those  that  believed,  and  it  is 
a  true  Christian  greeting  with  which  all  Christians 
might  well  greet  one  another. 

Thus  we  have  the  superscription,  with  the  greeting  ; 
now  he  begins  the  Epistle,  and  says  : 

y.  3-9.  Blessed  be  God  and  the  Father  of  our  Lord 
Jes2is  Christ,  tvho,  according  to  his  ahundant  mercy,  has 
begotten  us  again  to  a  lively  hope^  through  the  resurrec- 
tion of  Jesus  Christ  from  the  dead,  to  an  inheritance 
imperishable,  and  undefiled,  and  that  fadeth  not  aicay, 
reserved  in  heaven  for  you,  loJio  are  kept  by  the  poioer  of 
God  through  faith  to  salvation,' ready  to  be  revealed  in 
the  last  time,  icherein  ye  greatly  rejoice,  though  nova  for 
a  little  time  {if  need  be)  ye  are  sad  through  manifold 
temptations  y  that  the  trial  of  your  faith  might  be  found 
'inore precious  than  the  perishable  gold  {that  is  tried  by 
fire),  to  p)raise,  honor,  and  glory,  when  Jesus  Christ 
shall  be  revealed,  whom  ye  have  not  seen  and  yet  love,  in 
whom  through  ye  believe  and  see  him  not,  yet  for  your 
faith's  sake  ye  rejoice  with  joy  unspeakable  and  full  oj 
glory,  receiving  the  end  of  your  faith,  even  the  salvation 
of  your  sold. 

In  this  preface  you  perceive  a  truly  Apostolic  ad- 
dress and  introduction  to  the  matters  in  hand,  and  as 
I  have  said  already,  this  is  the  model  of  a  noble 
Epistle.  For  he  has  already  exhibited  and  made 
manifest  what  Christ  is,  and  what  we  have  attained 


CHAP.  I.]  GENERAL    OF   ST.    PETER.  21 

through  him,  when  he  says,  that  God  hath  begotten  us 
again  to  a  lively  hope  through  the  resurrection  of 
Christ. 

Thus  all  good  things  are  bestowed  upon  us  by  the 
Father,  not  for  any  desert  of  ours,  but  of  pure  mercy. 
These  are  true  Gospel  words  which  are  to  be  preached, 
but  how  little — God  save  us — of  this  kind  of  preaching 
is  to  be  met  with  in  all  sorts  of  books,  even  those  that 
must  be  considered  the  best ;  how  little  agreement  is 
there,  as  St.  Jerome  and  St.  Augustine  have  written,  in 
this  position, — that  Jesus  Christ  is  to  be  preached, 
that  he  died  and  rose  again,  and  that  he  died  and  rose 
again  that  through  such  preaching  men  might  believe 
on  him  and  be  saved.  That  is  preaching  the  true 
Gospel.  Whatever  is  not  preached  in  this  wise  is  not 
the  Gospel,  do  it  who  will. 

This  is  now  the  summa  summariim  of  these  words. 
Christ,  through  his  resurrection,  has  brought  us  to  the 
Father ;  and  so,  too,  St.  Peter  would  bring  us  to  the 
Father  by  the  Lord  Christ,  and  he  sets  him  forth  as 
Mediator  between  God  and  us.  Hitherto  we  have 
been  taught  that  we  should  call  upon  the  saints  ;  that 
they  are  our  intercessors  with  God,  while,  moreover, 
we  have  had  recourse  to  our  dear  Virgin,  and  have  set 
her  up  as  Mediatress,  and  have  let  Christ  go  as  an 
angry  judge.  This  the  Scripture  does  not  do  ;  it  goes 
further,  and  exalts  Christ ;  teaching  that  he  is  our 
Mediator,  by  whom  we  come  to  the  Father.     Oh !  it  is 


22  THE    FIRST   EPISTLE  [CHAP.  I. 

a  blessing  infinitely  vast  that  is  bestowed  upon  us 
througli  Christ,  that  we  may  go  into  the  presence  of 
the  Father  and  claim  the  inheritance  of  which  St. 
Peter  here  speaks. 

These  words  also  well  exhibit  the  feelings  which  the 
Apostle  had,  as  with  the  deepest  reverence  he  begins 
to  praise  the  Father,  and  would  have  us  adore  and 
bless  Him  for  the  sake  of  the  infinite  riches  which  He 
has  bestowed  upon  us,  in  that  He  has  begotten  us 
again,  and  this,  too,  before  we  had  desired  or  sought 
it ;  so  that  nothing  is  to  be  praised  but  pure  mercy, 
in  order  that  we  may  not  make  our  boast  of  any  works, 
but  confess  that  we  hold  all  that  we  have  of  God's 
compassion. 

There  is  no  more  the  law  and  vengeance  before  us, 
as  heretofore,  when  He  affrighted  the  Jews  so  that 
they  were  forced  to  flee,  but  dared  not  go  toward  the 
mount.  He  vexes  and  chastises  us  no  more,  but  shows 
us  the  greatest  friendship,  creates  us  anew,  and  ap- 
points us,  not  to  do  some  work  or  works,  but  produces 
within  us  an  entirely  new  birth  and  new  being,  that 
we  should  be  something  different  from  what  we  were 
before,  when  we  were  Adam's  children, — namely,  such 
as  are  transplanted  from  Adam's  heritage  into  the 
heritage  of  God  ;  so  that  God  is  our  Father,  we  are 
His  children,  and  thus  also  heirs  of  all  the  good  which 
He  possesses.  Observe  with  what  emphasis  the  scrip- 
tures present  this  matter  ;  it  is  all  a  living,  not  a  vain, 


CHAP.  I.J  GENERAL   OF   ST.    PETER.  23 

matter  in  which  we  are  concerned.  Since  we  are  thus 
begotten  again  the  children  and  heirs  of  God,  we  are 
equal  in  honor  and  dignity  with  St.  Paul,  St.  Peter, 
our  blessed  Virgin,  and  all  the  Saints.  For  we  have 
the  treasure  and  all  good  things  from  God  just  as 
richly  as  they  ;  for  it  is  just  as  necessary  for  them 
to  be  begotten  again  as  for  us, — therefore  they  have 
nothing  more  than  all  other  Christians. 

To  a  living  hope.  That  we  continue  to  live  on 
earth  is  mainly  to  this  end,  that  we  should  be  of 
service  to  others.  Otherwise,  it  were  better  that  God 
should  have  taken  away  our  breath  and  let  us  die  as 
soon  as  we  were  baptized  and  had  begun  to  believe. 
But  He  suffers  us  to  live  here  in  order  that  we  may 
bring  others  also  to  believe,  doing  to  them  as  He  has 
done  toward  us.  But  while  we  remain  on  earth,  we 
must  live  in  hope  ;  for  although  we  are  assured  that 
through  faith  we  have  all  the  good  things  of  God,  (for 
faith  brings  along  with  it  assuredly  the  new  birth,  the 
adoption,  the  inheritance,  and  makes  them  yours,)  still 
you  do  not  as  yet  behold  them  ;  but  the  matter  exists 
in  hope,  while  it  is  of  but  small  importance  that  we 
may  not  see  it  with  our  eyes.  This  he  calls  tlie  liope 
of  life;  that  is,  by  a  Hebrew  phrase,  as  though  for 
sinful  man  we  should  say,  a  man  of  sin.  We  call  it  a 
living  hope  ;  that  is,  one  in  which  we  certainly  expect, 
and  mav  be  assured  of,  eternal  life.     But  it  is  con- 


24  THE    FIRST    EPISTLE  [CHAP.  I. 

cealed,  and  a  veil  is  drawn  over  it,  that  we  see  it  not. 
It  can  only  be  apprehended  in  the  heart  and  by  faith, 
as  St.  John  writes  in  his  Epistle,  1  John  v. :  "  We  are 
now  the  children  of  God,  and  it  doth  not  yet  appear 
what  we  shall  be ;  but  we  know  that  when  it  shall 
appear  that  we  are  like  Him,  we  shall  behold  Him  as 
He  is."  For  this  life,  and  that,  cannot  be  commingled, 
cannot  consist  with  one  another,  so  that  we  should  eat, 
drink,  sleep,  watch,  and  do  other  works  of  the  flesh 
which  this  life  renders  necessary,  and  at  the  same  time 
have  our  full  salvation.  Therefore  we  can  never  ar- 
rive at  eternal  life  unless  we  die,  and  this  present  life 
passes  away.  Thus,  as  long  as  we  are  here  we  must 
stand  in  hope,  until  it  be  God's  pleasure  that  we  should 
behold  the  blessings  that  are  ours. 

But  how  do  we  attain  to  this  living  hope  ?  By  the 
resurrection  of  Christ  from  the  dead,  he  says.  I  have 
often  asserted  that  no  one  can  believe  on  God  except 
through  a  mediation,  since  we  can  none  of  us  treat  for 
ourselves  before  God,  inasmuch  as  we  are  all  children 
of  wrath  ;  but  we  must  have  another  by  whom  we  may 
come  before  God,  who  shall  intercede  for  us  and 
reconcile  us  to  God.  But  there  is  no  other  mediator 
than  the  Lord  Christ,  who  is  the  Son  of  God.  There- 
fore that  is  not  a  true  faith  which  is  held  by  the  Turks 
and  Jews, — I  believe  that  God  has  created  heaven  and 
earth.  Just  so  does  the  devil,  too,  believe,  but  it  does 
not  help  him.     They  venture  to  present  themselves 


CHAP.  I.]  GENERAL   OF   ST.    PETER.  25 

before  God  without  having  Christ  as  mediator.  So 
St.  Paul  speaks  in  the  fifth  of  Romans,  "  We  have 
access  to  God  by  faith,  not  through  ourselves,  but 
through  Christ."  Therefore  we  must  bring  Christ 
with  us,  must  come  with  Him,  must  satisfy  God  by  Him, 
and  do  all  that  we  have  to  transact  with  God  through 
Him,  and  in  His  name.  That  is  the  thought  implied 
here  by  St.  Peter,  and  he  would  also  say,  we  surely 
expect  this  life,  although  we  are  still  on  earth.  But 
all  comes  in  no  other  way  than  through  the  resur- 
rection of  Christ,  since  He  has  arisen  and  ascended  to 
heaven,  and  is  seated  at  the  right  hand  of  God.  For 
on  this  account  He  ascended,  in  order  to  bestow  upon 
us  His  Spirit,  that  we  might  be  born  again,  and  now 
through  Him  might  come  to  the  Father  and  say, 
"  Behold,  I  come  before  thee  and  pray,  not  because  I 
rely  on  my  own  request,  but  because  my  Lord  Christ 
has  gone  before  me  and  is  become  my  intercessor." 
These  are  all  glowing  words  wherever  there  is  a  heart 
that  believes  ;  where  there  is  not,  all  is  cold  and  un- 
impressive. 

Hence  we  may  determine  what  genuine  Christian 
doctrine  or  preaching  is.  If  the  Gospel  is  to  be 
preached,  it  must  concern  the  resurrection  of  Christ. 
Whoever  does  not  preach  this  is  no  Apostle  ;  for  it  is 
the  head  article  of  our  faith.  And  those  books  are 
truly  the  noblest  which  teach  and  enforce  such  doc- 
trine, as  was  said  above.  So  that  we  may  easily  dis- 
2 


26  THE    FIRST   EPISTLE  [CHAP.  I. 

cover  that  the  Epistle  of  James  is  no  true  Apostolic 
Epistle*  for  it  contains  scarcely  a  letter  of  these 
things  in  it,  while  the  greatest  importance  belongs  to 
this  article  of  faith.  For  were  there  no  such  thing  as 
the  resurrection,  we  should  have  neither  comfort  nor 
hope,  and  all  beside  that  Christ  has  endured  or  suffered 
would  have  been  in  vain. 

Therefore  one  should  teach  after  this  manner  :  You 
perceive  that  Christ  has  died  for  you,  has  taken  upon 
Himself  sin,  death,  and  hell,  and  bowed  Himself  under 
them.  But  in  no  respect  were  they  able  to  crush  Him, 
for  He  was  too  strong  for  them  ;  but  He  has  risen  up 
from  beneath  them,  and  has  vanquished  all,  and  brought 


*  The  well-known  views  of  Luther  in  regard  to  the  Epistle  of  James, 
and  the  grounds  upon  which  he  rejected  it  from  the  canon  of  the  New 
Testament,  are  presented  in  this  passage.  He  was  too  impatient  of  the 
seeming  contradiction  between  Paul  and  James  upon  the  subject  of  faith, 
and  too  hastily  concluded  that  they  were  irreconcilable.  A  careful 
consideration  of  the  scope  of  the  argument  in  the  Epistle  of  James,  re- 
moves the  diflficulty,  as  may  be  seen  at  large  in  later  commentators. 
There  is  no  historical  reason  for  casting  discredit  upon  the  Epistle  of 
James.  The  early  Christian  writers  furnish  very  decided  testimony  in 
its  favor.  Clement  of  Rome  has  alluded  to  it  twice.  Hermas  has  not 
less  than  seven  allusions  to  it,  according  to  Lardner  fuUy  sufficient  to 
prove  its  antiquity.  Origen,  Jerome,  Athauasius,  and  most  of  the  sub- 
sequent ecclesiastical  writers  quote  from  it,  and  it  is  found  in  all  the 
catalogues  of  canonical  books  published  by  the  general  and  provincial 
Councils.  But  an  argument  of  still  greater  weight  is,  the  fact  that  it  is 
inserted  in  the  Syriac  version  of  the  New  Testament,  executed  at  the 
close  of  the  first,  or  early  in  the  second  century.  None  certainly  would 
question  that  the  Jewish  believers  to  whom  it  was  addressed  would  be 
the  best  judges  of  its  genuineness  and  authenticity,  and  by  them  it 
was  unhesitatingly  accepted. 


CHAP.  I.]  GENERAL   OF   ST.    PETER.  27 

them  in  subjection  to  Himself ;  and  to  this  end,  that  you 
might  be  relieved  from  them,  and  made  to  triumph 
over  them.  If  you  believe,  you  possess  this.  All  these 
things,  by  our  'own  power,  we  could  not  effect ;  hence 
it  was  necessary  that  Clirist  should  do  it,  otherwise  He 
had  never  needed  to  come  down  from  heaven.  We 
can  only  conclude  that  if  one  preaches  of  our  own 
works,  thaf  preaching  does  not  agree  and  cannot  con- 
sist with  this.  Oh,  so  thoroughly  as  we  Christians 
should  know  this!  so  clear  should  the  Epistle  be 
to  us ! 

V.  4.  To  an  imperishahle  and  undefiled  and  unfading' 
inheritance.  That  is,  we  hope  not  for  a  blessing  or  an 
inheritance  that  is  far  off.  But  we  live  in  the  hope  of 
an  inheritance  that  is  just  at  hand,  and  that  is  imper- 
ishable as  well  as  undefiled  and  unfading.  This  bless- 
ing is  ours  henceforth  and  forever,  although  we  do  not 
now  behold  it.  These  are  powerful  and  excellent 
words  ;  into  whosesoever  mind  they  enter,  he  will,  I 
imagine,  not  be  greatly  anxious  after  worldly  good 
and  pleasure.  How  can  it  be  possible  that  one  who 
assuredly  believes  this,  should  yet  cleave  to  perishable 
possessions  and  lusts  ? 

If  worldly  good  is  presented  in  contrast  with  this, 
it  is  at  once  seen  how  it  all  passes  away  and  endures 
but  for  a  time  ;  but  this  alone  lasts  forever  and  will 
never  consume  away.     Besides,  that  is  all  impure,  and 


28  THE   FIRST   EPISTLE  [CHAP.  I. 

defiles  us,  for  there  is  no  man  so  devoted  that  worldly 
prosperity  will  not  soil  his  purity.  But  this  inheritance 
alone  is  pure ;  whoever  has  it  is  ever  undefiled  ;  it 
will  not  fade  ;  it  endures  and  does  nof  corrupt.  All 
that  is  on  earth,  however  hard  it  be,  is  yet  changeable 
and  has  no  permanence.  Man,  as  soon  as  he  grows  old, 
becomes  deformed  :  but  this  does  not  change,  but 
abides  forever,  fresh  and  green.  On  earth  there  is  no 
pleasure  that  will  not  at  length  become  irksome,  as 
we  see  that  men  grow  weary  of  all  things  ;  but  with 
this  blessing  such  is  not  the  case.  This  do  we  possess 
only  in  Christ,  through  the  mercy  of  God,  if  we 
believe,  and  it  is  freely  bestowed  upon  us.  For  how 
is  it  possible  that  we  poor  wretches  should  be  able  to 
deserve  such  good  through  our  own  works  as  no  human 
reason  or  sense  can  conceive  ? 

That  is  reserved  in  heaven.  Certain  it  is  that  our 
inheritance  is  imperishable,  undefiled  and  unfading. 
It  is  only  for  a  little  while  concealed  from  us,  until  we 
close  our  eyes  and  are  buried,  when,  if  we  believe,  we 
shall  surely  find  and  behold  it. 

V.  5.  WliO  are  kept  by  the  poiver  of  God  through 
faith  unto  salvation.  We  wait  for  this  priceless  inher- 
itance, he  says,  in  the  hope  to  which  we  have  attained 
through  faith  ;  for  this  is  their  order  of  succession  ; 
From  the  word  follows  faith,  from  faith  is  the  new 
birth,  from  the  new  birtli  we  pass  to  hope,  so  that  we 


CHAP.  I.]  GENERAL  OF  ST.    PETER.  29 

certainly  expect  and  are  assured  of  the  blessing.  So 
that  Peter  has  here  asserted,  in  a  truly  christian  man- 
ner, that  it  must  take  -place  by  faith,  not  by  our  own 

works. 

But  St.  Peter  says  here,  more  particularly,  ye  are 
kept  by  the  power  of  God-to  salvation.  But  there  are 
many  people  who,  if  they  hear  the  Gospel.-namely, 
that  faith  alone,  irrespective  of  works,  justifies,-break 

J  a  Voo  I  T  ViplipTp  too!"    To  think 

in  at  once  and  say,     i  e»  !  i  oeiievt,  lou 

their  thoughts  which  they  themselves  conceive,  is  faith. 
Yet  we  have  also  been  taught  from  Scripture  that  we 
cannot  do  the  least  work  without  God's  Spirit ;  how 
then  by  our  own  power  should  we  be  al)le  to  do  the  high- 
est work,-namely, believe?    Wherefore  such  thoughts 
are  nothing  else  but  a  dream  and  a  fiction.     God's 
power  must  be  present  and  work  within  us,  in  order 
that  we  mav  believe  ;  as  Paul  also  says,  Eph.  i.,  "  God 
-rant  you  the  spirit  of  wisdom  that  ye  may  know  what 
is  the  exceeding  greatness  of  His  power  toward  us  who 
have  believed,  according  to  the  working  of  His  mighty 
power,"  &c.    Not  only  is  it  God's  will,  but  a  power  of 
God  that  is  far  from  unimportant.     For  if  God  pro- 
duces faith  in  men.  it  is  certainly  as  great  a  work  as 
though  He  recreated  heaven  and  earth. 

Therefore  those  fools  know  not  what  they  say,  who 
ask  How  can  faith  alone  answer,  while  many  an  one 
believes  who  yet  performs  no  good  work  ?  For  they 
imagine  their  own  vain  dream  is  faith,  and  that  faith 


80  THE   FIRST   EPISTLE  [CHAP.  I. 

may  exist  without  good  works.  But  we  say,  just  as 
Peter  says,  that  faith  is  a  divine  power  ;  when  God  pro- 
duces faith,  man  must  be  born  again  and  become  a  new 
creature  ;  good  works,  flowing  from  a  purified  nature, 
must  follow  faith.  So  that  we  must  not  say  to  a  Chris- 
tian who  has  faith,  Do  this  or  that  work, — for  he  per- 
forms of  himself  and  unbidden,  mere  good  works. 

But  this  must  be  said  to  him,  that  he  is  not  to  de- 
ceive himself  with  a  false,  imaginary  faith.  Where- 
fore let  those  rude  babblers  go,  who  can  say  a  great 
deal  on  the  subject  that  is  nothing  after  all  but  mere 
scum  and  vain  prating.  Of  whom  Paul  also  speaks, 
1  Cor.  iv.,  "  I  will  come  to  you  and  will  seek  out  not  the 
speech  of  those  that  are  puffed  up,  but  the  power  ;  for 
the  kingdom  of  God  does  not  stand  in  word,  but  in 
power."  Wherever  this  power  of  God  is  wanting, 
there  is  neither  genuine  faith  nor  good  works.  So 
that  they  are  mere  liars,  who  pride  themselves  on  their 
Christian  name  and  faith  and  yet  lead  a  wicked  life. 
For  if  it  were  of  God's  power,  they  would  certainly  be 
otherwise. 

But  what  does  St.  Peter  mean  when  he  says,  ye 
are  kept  by  the  power  of  God  to  salvation  ?  This  is 
his  meaning  :  So  tender  and  precious  a  matter  is  that 
which  pertains  to  the  faith  which  the  power  of  God 
(that  is  with  us  and  with  which  we  are  filled)  pro- 
duces in  us,  that  He  gives  us  a  correct,  clear  under- 
standing of  all  things  that  respect  salvation,  so  that 


CHAP.  I.]  GENERAL    OF   ST.    PETER.  31 

we  may  judge  all  that  is  on  earth,  and  say,  this  doc- 
trine is  true,  that  is  false  ;  this  conduct  is  right,  that  is 
not ;  this  work  is  good  and  acceptable,  that  is  evil. 
And  whatever  such  a  man  determines  is  just  and  true, 
for  he  cannot  be  deceived  ;  but  he  w^ill  be  kept,  and 
preserved,  and  remains,  a  judge  of  all  doctrines. 

On  the  other  hand,  wherever  faith  and  this  powder 
of  God  are  wanting,  there  is  nothing  but  error  and 
blindness  ;  there  reason  suffers  itself  to  be  led  hither 
and  thither,  from  one  work  to  another,  for  it  w^ould 
gladly  reach  heaven  by  its  own  works,  and  is  ever  im- 
agining after  this  sort,  "  Yes !  this  work  will  bring 
you  to  heaven  :  do  it  and  you  shall  be  saved."  Hence 
there  are  so  many  chapters,  cloisters,  altars,  popes, 
monks  and  nuns  in  the  world.  Into  such  blindness 
does  Grod  permit  the  unbelieving  to  fall.  But  he  keeps 
us,  who  believe,  in  a  just  apprehension,  so  that  we  may 
not  fall  into  condemnation,  but  attain  to  salvation. 

Which  is  ready  to  be  revealed  in  the  last  time.  That 
is,  the  inheritance  that  is  appointed  for  them  was  long 
ago  acquired,  and  prepared  from  the  foundation  of  the 
world,  but  now  is  hidden,  as  yet  covered  up,  reserved 
and  sealed.  But  this  is  only  for  a  little  while,  when 
in  a  moment  it  shall  be  opened  and  revealed,  so  that 
we  shall  behold  it. 

V.  6.     In  which  ye  rejoice  greatly,  though  now  for  a 


32  THE    FIRST   EPISTLE  [CHAP.  I. 

season  (if  need  be),  ye  are  in  heaviness  through  manifold 
temptation.  Are  you  a  Christian,  and  do  you  look  for 
this  inheritance  or  this  salvation  ?  then  must  you 
cleave  to  this  alone,  and  despise  all  that  is  upon  earth, 
and  confess  that  all  worldly  reason,  wisdom  and  glory 
are  nothing — a  thing  the  world  will  not  be  able  to 
bear  ;  wherefore  you  are  to  expect  that  men  shall 
condemn  you  and  persecute  you.  Thus  St.  Peter  joins 
faith,  hope,  and  the  holy  cross  together,  for  one  follows 
upon  the  other. 

And  here  he  gives  us  a  source  of  consolation  if  we 
suffer  and  are  persecuted.  This  sadness  shall  last  a 
little  while  ;  afterward  ye  shall  be  exceeding  glad,  for 
this  salvation  is  already  prepared  for  you ;  wherefore 
be  patient  under  your  sufferings. 

This  is  moreover  a  truly  christian  consolation, — not 
such  comfort  as  human  doctrines  give,  which  attempt 
nothing  more  than  to  find  relief  from  outward  ill.  I 
speak  not  of  bodily  comfort  (he  seems  to  say) ;  it  is  no 
real  injury  that  ye  have  to  endure  outward  ill,  only  go 
onward  vigorously  and  be  steadfast ;  inquire  not  how  you 
may  be  free  from  the  trouble,  but  think  with  yourself, 
My  inheritance  is  prepared  and  held  out  to  me  ;  it  is 
only  a  short  time  before  my  suffering  must  cease. 
Thus  we  should  lay  aside  temporal  consolations,  and 
over  against  them  place  that  eternal  consolation  which 
we  have  in  God. 

Besides,  it  is  here  to  be  observed  that  the  Apostle 


CHAP.  I.]  GENERAL   OF   ST.   PETER.  33 

continues  and  tells  us  in  what  circumstances  all  this 
will  be,  as  he  will  hereafter  say  in  the  third  chapter, 
if  it  he  GocVs  luill. 

There  are  many  people  who  would  storm  heaven 
and  enter  it  at  once,  wherefore  they  impose  a  cross 
upon  themselves  for  their  own  fancied  good  ;  for  reason 
will  do  nothing  but  propose  for  ever  its  own  works, 
that  God  will  reject.  They  should  not  be  our  own 
works  which  we  select,  but  we  should  wait  for  what- 
ever God  imposes  upon  us  and  ordains  for  us,  that  we 
may  go  on  and  follow  wherever  He  leads  us  ;  so  that 
you  are  not  to  run  after  your  own  pleasure,  in  case  it 
should  be  (that  is,  by  God's  appointment)  that  you 
are  to  suffer,  but  accept  it  and  comfort  yourself  with 
the  salvation  which  is  not  temporal  but  eternal. 

V.  7,  8.  That  the  trial  of  your  faith  (or  that  your 
tried  faith)  he  found  much  more  precious  than  the  per- 
ishable gold,  (that  is  tried  in  the  fire),  to  praise,  honor, 
and  glory,  when  Jesus  Christ  shall  he  revealed,  tvhom 
ye  have  not  seen,  yet  love,  in  whom  ye  also  believe  though 
ye  see  him  not.  This  should  be  the  end  of  the  cross 
and  all  kinds  of  reverses, — to  enable  us  to  distinguish 
between  false  and  real  faith.  God  lays  his  hand  upon 
us,  therefore,  to  try  our  faith  and  reveal  it  to  \\\Q 
world,  so  that  others  may  be  induced  to  believe,  and 
we  also  be  praised  and  honored.  For  just  as  we  exalt 
God,  so  will  He  in  return  exalt,  esteem  and  honor  us, 


34  THE   FIRST   EPISTLE 


CHAP.  I. 


insomuch  that  the  false  hypocrites,  who  do  not  walk  in 
the  right  way,  shall  be  put  to  shame. 

Scripture  throughout  likens  temptation  to  fire.  Thus 
St.  Peter  here  compares  the  gold  that  is  tried  by  fire 
to  the  trial  of  faith  by  temptation  and  suffering.  The 
fire  does  not  take  away  from  the  gold,  but  it  makes  it 
pure  and  bright,  so  that  all  dross  is  removed.  So  God 
has  imposed  the  cross  upon  all  Christians,  that  they 
might  thereby  be  purified.  And  it  has  been  well  said, 
let  faith  remain  pure  as  the  word  is  pure,  so  that  we 
shall  depend  on  the  word  alone,  and  trust  to  nothing 
else  :  for  we  need  such  fire  and  cross  as  this  daily, 
because  of  the  old  corrupt  Adam. 

Thus,  it  is  characteristic  of  a  christian  life  that  it 
should  continually  grow  and  become  more  holy  ;  for 
if  we  are  led  to  faith  through  the  preaching  of  the 
Gospel,  then  shall  we  be  justified  and  grow  in  holi- 
ness ;  but  while  we  remain  in  the  flesh  we  can  never 
be  fully  purified.  Therefore  God  throws  us  into  the 
midst  of  the  fire, — that  is,  into  suff'ering,  shame  and 
calamity, — so  that  we  may  become  more  and  more 
purified,  until  we  die— a  point  we  can  attain  by  no 
works  of  our  own.  For  how  can  an  outward  work 
make  the  heart  inwardly  clean  ?  Moreover,  if  faith  is 
to  be  tried  (purified),  all  that  is  additional  and  false 
must  be  separated  and  removed.  Thence  will  result  a 
noble  reward,— praise  and  glory  when  Christ  shall  be 
revealed.     On  this  it  follows  : 


CHAP.  I.]  GENERAL   OF   ST.    PETER.  35 

y.  8,  9.  But  because  of  your  faith ^  rejoice  luith  joy 
unspeakable  and  glorious^  and  attam  also  the  end  of 
your  faith,  even  the  salvation  of  your  soids.  An  un- 
speakably glorious  joy  shall  that  be,  says  St.  Peter, 
whereof  we  have  honor  and  praise.  The  world  has 
such  a  joy  that  we  receive  nothing  from  it  but  shame, 
and  of  which  we  are  compelled  to  be  ashamed.  Here 
St.  Peter  has  evidently  spoken  of  future  joy, — and 
there  is  scarcely  so  clear  a  passage  on  the  subject  of 
the  future  joy  as  the  one  in  this  place, — and  still  he 
finds  himself  unable  to  express  it. 

This  is  one  point  of  the  introduction,  in  which  the 
Apostle  has  shown  what  faith  in  Christ  is,  and  how 
we  must  be  tried  and  purified  by  reverse  and  suffering 
when  God  appoints  it  for  us. — Now  follows  further 
how  this  faitli  is  in  Scripture  constituted  and  de- 
nominated. 

V.  10,  11,  12.  Of  which  salvatio?i  the  prophets  have 
inquired  and  searched  diligeiitly^  who  have  prophesied 
of  the  grace  that  should  come  unto  you  ;  searching  what 
or  as  to  what  time^  the  spirit  of  Christ  ichich  was  in 
them^  designated  and  testified  beforehand  the  sufferings 
of  Christ  and  the  glory  that  should  folloic  ;  to  \ohoii% 
it  was  revealed^  that  not  for  their  own  sake^  but  for  ours^ 
did  they  minister  that  which  is  now  jyreached  to  you^ 
by  those  who  have  preached  the  Gospel,  through  the  Holy 
Ghost  sent  down  from  heaven  ;  into  lohich  also  the  angels 
desired  to  look. 

Here  St.  Peter  directs  us  back  to  \he  Holy  Scrip- 


36  THE   FIRST   EPISTLE  [CHAP.  I. 

tures,  that  we  may  therein  see  that  God  keeps  whom- 
soever He  has  called  of  us,  for  no  merit  of  ours,  but 
of  mere  grace ;  for  the  whole  of  Scripture  is  directed 
to  this  end,  that  it  may  draw  us  away  from  our  own 
works  and  bring  us  to  faith.  And  it  is  necessary  that 
we  should  study  the  Scriptures  carefully  that  we  may 
be  well  assured  of  our  faith.  Paul  also  teaches  us  the 
same  thing  in  the  Epistle  to  the  Romans,  chap,  i., 
where  he  says  that  God  promised  the  Gospel  before 
by  His  prophets  in  the  Holy  Scriptures.  So  Eom. 
iii. :  that  the  faith  whereby  we  are  justified,  is  testified 
of  through  the  law  and  the  prophets. 

So  we  read  also  in  Acts  xvii.  how  Paul  preached 
faith  to  the  Thessalonians,  leading  them  to  the  Scrip- 
ture and  explaining  it  to  them,  and  how  day  by  day 
they  had  recourse  to  the  Scripture,  and  examined 
whether  those  things  which  Paul  had  taught  them 
were  so.  So  likewise  ought  we  to  do,  going  back,  and 
from  the  Old  Testament  learning  on  what  to  base  the 
New.  Besides,  we  shall  there  discover  the  promise  of 
Christ,  as  Christ  himself  also  says,  John  v. :  "  Search 
the  Scriptures,  for  it  is  they  that  testify  of  me."  And 
"  if  ye  believe  Moses,  ye  must  also  believe  me,  for  he 
wrote  of  me."  Therefo^  we  should  let  vain  babblers 
go  who  despise  the  Old  Testament,  and  say  it  is  of  no 
further  use, — since  from  thence  alone  must  we  derive 
the  ground  of  our  faith  ;  for  God  sent  the  Prophets  to 
the  Jews  to  this  end.  that  thev  should  bear  witness  of 


CHAP.  I.]  GENERAL   OF   ST.    PETER.  37 

the  Christ  that  was  to  come.  Therefore  it  is  that  the 
Apostles  throughout  convicted  and  convinced  the  Jews 
out  of  their  own  Scriptures  that  this  was  the  Christ. 

Thus  the  books  of  Moses  and  the  prophets  are  the 
Gospel,  since  they  have  first  preached  and  written  of 
Christ  that  which  the  Apostles  afterward  preached 
and  wrote.  Yet  there  is  a  distinction  between  them. 
For  although  both,  as  to  the  letter,  have  been  written 
out  on  paper,  yet  the  Gospel,  or  the  New  Testament, 
cannot  be  said  so  properly  to  be  written,  but  to  have 
consisted  in  the  living  voice  which  published  it,  and 
was  heard  generally  throughout  the  world.  But  that 
it  should  also  have  been  written,  is  an  extraneous 
matter.  But  the  Old  Testament  was  composed  only 
in  writing,  and  is  therefore  called  the  letter  ;  and  the 
Apostles  give  Scripture  this  same  name  also,  as  it  only 
pointed  to  the  Christ  that  was  to  come.  But  the 
Gospel  is  a  living  proclamation  of  Christ  who  has 
already  come. 

Besides,  there  is  also  a  distinction  among  the  books 
of  the  Old  Testament.  In  the  first  place,  there  are 
the  five  books  of  Moses,  the  foundation  of  the  Scrip- 
tures, and  which  are  especially  called  the  Old  Testa- 
ment. Then  come  both  histories  and  books  of  nar- 
ration, Avherein  examples  of  all  kinds  are  recorded, 
whether  of  those  who  held  or  rejected  the  law  of 
Moses.  In  the  third  place,  there  are  the  prophets 
that  are  based  on  Moses,  and  what  he  has  written 


38  THE    FIRST    EPISTLE  [CHAP.  I. 

they  have  in  clear  language  more  fully  explained  and 
elucidated.  But  the  bearing  of  all  the  prophets  and 
of  Moses  is  one  and  the  same. 

But  you  ought  to  understand  also  about  that  which 
men  say,  that  the  Old  Testament  is  given  up  and  laid 
by.  In  the  first  place,  there  is  that  distinction  between 
the  Old  and  New  Testament,  as  we  have  said  above, 
that  the  Old  prefigured  Christ,  but  that  the  New  gives 
us  that  which  was  promised  first  in  the  Old,  and 
pointed  out  to  us  by  types.  But  these  types  have  now 
ceased,  because  the  end  which  they  were  to  subserve 
has  been  answered  and  attained,  and  that  which  was 
prefiguried  by  them  has  been  fulfilled.  So  that  now 
there  should  be  no  further  distinctions  of  food,  cloth- 
ing, place  and  time.  All  are  alike  in  Christ,  in  whom 
all  has  been  fulfilled.  The  Jews  have  not  been  saved 
by  this,  for  it  was  not  given  them  to  this  end  that 
it  should  make  them  holy,  but  to  foreshadow  to  them 
the  Christ  who  was  to  come. 

Besides,  in  the  Old  Testament  God  introduced  a 
twofold  government, — an  external  and  an  internal. 
There  He  undertook  to  rule  His  people,  both  inwardly 
in  the  heart,  and  outwardly  in  person  and  in  property. 
Therefore  He  gave  them  such  a  variety  of  laws,  com- 
mingled one  kind  with  the  other.  So  it  was  under 
the  government  that  pertained  to  the  person,  that  a 
man  might  give  his  wife  a  bill  of  divorce  and  put  her 
away. 


CHAP.  I.]  GENERAL    OF   ST.    PETER.  39 

But  to  the  spiritual  government  pertained  the  com- 
mand, Thou  shalt  love  thy  neighbor  as  thyself.  But 
now  He  rules  in  us  only  spiritually,  by  Christ ;  while 
the  government  that  pertains  to  the  body  and  the  out- 
ward state,  he  exercises  through  the  instrumentality 
of  civil  magistracy.  So  that  when  Christ  came  the 
external  ceased,  and  God  gives  us  direction  no  more 
as  to  the  outward  person,  time  and  place.  But  He 
rules  us  only  spiritually  through  the  word,  so  that  we 
may. direct  as  to  all  that  is  outward,  and  be  bound  in 
nothing  that  pertains  to  the  body. 

But  what  pertains  to  His  spiritual  government  has 
not  been  abandoned,  but  stands  forever,  now  as  then,— 
the  law  of  love  to  God  and  our  neighbor,  contained 
in  the  books  of  Moses,  which  God  will  still  have 
sustained,  and  by  which  He  will  condemn  all  the  un- 
believing. 

Besides,  the  figures,  as  to  their  spiritual  import,  re- 
main ;  that  is,  whatever  is  signified  by  the  outward 
figures,  although  the  outward  part  has  been  done 
away.  Thus  that  a  man  should  separate  from  his 
wife  and  send  her  away,  because  of  adultery,  is  a 
figure  and  type  which  even  now  is  spiritually  fulfilled ; 
for  tlius  also  has  God  rejected  the  Jews  when  they 
would  not  believe  on  Christ,  and  has  chosen  out  the 
Gentiles.  So,  also.  He  does  still ;  if  any  one  will  not 
walk  in  the  faith.  He  sufi'ers  him  to  be  excluded  from 
the  Christian  Churcli.  that  he  mav  be  led  to  reform. 


40  THE   FIRST   EPISTLE  [CHAP.  I. 

Of  a  similar  import  also  is  this,  that  a  woman  after 
her  husband's  death  must  take  her  husband's  brother, 
and  bear  him  children,  and  he  must  suffer  himself  to 
be  called  by  his  name,  and  must  enter  on  his  pos- 
sessions. This,  although  it  has  now  ceased,  or  rather 
become  invalid,  so  that  it  may  be  done  or  neglected 
without  sin,  is  a  figure  which  even  now  has  a  signifi- 
cance in  respect  to  Christ.  For  He  is  our  brother,  for 
us  has  died  and  ascended  to  heaven,  and  has  com- 
manded us  that  we,  tlirough  the  Gospel,  should  plant 
the  seed  in  our  souls  and  make  them  fruitful,  be  named 
after  him,  and  enter  on  his  possessions.  Therefore  I 
must  not  boast  that  I  convert  men,  but  it  must  all  be 
ascribed  to  the  Lord  Christ.  It  is  the  same  also  with 
all  the  other  figures  of  the  Old  Testament,  which  it 
would  be  too  tedious  to  specify. 

But  all  in  the  Old  Testament  which  is  not  external, 
is  still  in  force,  as  all  those  passages  in  the  prophets 
concerning  faith  and  love.  Wherefore  Christ  also  con- 
firms it  in  Mat.  vii. :  "  All  things  whatsoever  ye  would 
that  men  should  do  unto  you,  do  ye  even  so  to  them  ; 
for  this  is  the  law  and  the  prophets."  Besides,  Moses 
and  the  prophets  testify  of  the  Christ  that  was  to 
come.  As,  when  I  preach  of  Christ  that  He  is  the 
only  Saviour  by  whom  all  must  be  saved,  I  may  quote 
to  sustain  me  the  passage  in  Gen.  xxii.  :  "  In  thy  seed 
shall  all  nations  be  blessed."  Thence  I  draw  a  living 
voice  and  language.     Through   Christ,  who  is  Abra- 


CHAP.  I.]  GENERAL    OF   ST.    PETER.  41 

ham's  seed,  must  all  men  be  blessed.  From  that  it 
follows,  that  we  were  all  cursed  and  condemned  in 
Adam ;  wherefore  it  is  necessary  that  we  should  believe 
on  the  Seed,  if  we  would  escape  condemnation.  Out 
of  such  passages  may  we  lay  down  the  ground  of  our 
faith,  and  let  it  remain,  that  we  may  therein  see  how 
they  bear  witness  of  Christ,  so  that  our  faith  may  be 
strengthened  thereby.  That  is  what  St.  Peter  intends 
now  by  these  words,  in  which  he  says  : 

V.  10.  Of  wUcli  Salvation  the  Prophets  have  searched 
and  inquired  diligently,  who  have  prophesied  of  the 
grace  that  should  come  to  you.  In  this  same  manner 
Paul  also  speaks,  toward  the  close  of  the  Epistle  to  the 
Romans,  of  the  revelation  of  the  mystery  which  was 
hidden  from  all  ages  of  the  world,  but  is  now  revealed 
and  made  known  through  the  writings  of  the  prophets. 
And  so  you  find  in  the  New  Testament  many  passages 
quoted  from  the  prophets,  by  which  the  Apostles  show 
that  all  has  been  fulfilled  just  as  the  prophets  foretold. 

This  Christ  Himself  proves  from  the  prophet  Isaiah, 
Mat.  xi. :  "  The  blind  see,  the  lame  walk,''  (fee.  As 
though  He  had  said,  just  as  it  was  written  there  it  is 
taking  place  now  ;  so  also  we  read  in  Acts  ix.,  of  Paul, 
and  in  the  xviii.,  of  Apollos,  how  they  confounded  the 
Jews,  and  convinced  them  out  of  Scripture  that  this 
was  the  Christ.  For  whatever  the  prophets  had  fore- 
told, all  had  now  come  to  pass  in  Christ.     So  (Acts 


42  THE   FIKST   EPISTLE  [CHAP.  I. 

XV.)  the  Apostles  show  how  the  Gospel  must  be 
preached  to  the  heathen  that  they  might  believe.  This 
has  also  come  to  pass,  and  been  put  in  train,  so  that 
the  Jews  might  be  convinced  and  compelled  to  con- 
fess, that  all  had  taken  place  just  as  Scripture  had 
foretold. 

V.  11.  And  have  investigated  what  or  at  ivhat  time 
the  Spirit  of  Christ  tvhich  ivas  in  them;  St.  Peter 
would  say,  although  the  prophets  have  not  partic- 
ularly known  of  a  set  and  definite  time,  yet  have  they 
in  general  testified  to  all  the  circumstances  of  time  and 
place ; — as,  that  Christ  should  suffer,  and  what  death 
he  should  die,  and  that  the  Gentiles  should  believe  on 
him  :  so  that  one  might  certainly  know  by  these  signs 
when  the  time  had  come.  The  prophet  Daniel  has 
approached  still  nearer,  but  yet  speaks  somewhat  darkly 
thereof,  as  to  when  Christ  should  suffer  and  die — when 
that  or  this  should  take  place.  So,  also,  they  had  a 
sure  prophecy  that  the  kingdom  of  the  Jews  should 
cease  before  Christ  came.  But  the  day  and  exact 
time  when  this  should  come  to  pass  was  not  fixed. 
For  it  was  enough  when  this  time  came,  that  they 
should  thereby  know  for  a  surety  that  Christ  was  not 
far  off.  The  prophet  Joel  also  prophesied  of  the  time 
when  the  Holy  Spirit  should  come,  where  he  says,  "  I 
will  in  the  last  days  pour  out  my  spirit  upon  all  flesh," 
&c.,  which  passage  St.  Peter  quotes  in  Acts  ii.,  and 


CHAP.  I.]  GENERAL    OF   ST.    PETER.  43 

shows  that  he  speaks  of  that  very  time  and  of  the  par- 
ticular persons. 

From  all  which  you  perceive  how,  with  great  dili- 
gence, the  Apostles  exhibit  throughout  the  ground  and 
confirmation  of  their  preaching  and  doctrine.  The 
Councils  and  the  Popes  now  reverse  this  course,  and 
would  deal  with  us  apart  from  Scripture,  commanding 
us,  by  obedience  to  the  church  and  the  terrors  of  ex- 
communication, that  we  should  believe  on  them.  The 
Apostles  were  filled  with  the  Holy  Spirit,  and  were 
certain  that  they  were  sent  by  Christ,  and  preached 
the  true  Gospel  ;  yet  they  did  not  exalt  themselves,  and 
did  not  ask  men  to  believe  them,  unless  they  conclu- 
sively proved  from  Scripture  tliat  it  was  just  as  they 
said,  so  that  the  mouth  of  the  unbelieving  was  stopped, 
insomuch  that  they  could  object  nothing  further. 
And  shall  we  believe  those  grossly  unlearned  heads 
who  do  not  preach  God's  word  at  all,  and  can  do 
nothing  else  but  cry  out  continually,  "  Surely  the 
fathers  cannot  have  been  in  error,  and  this  has  been 
decided  now  for  a  long  time,  so  that  it  must  no  more 
be  a  question  ?"  But  this  we  can  clearly  prove  from 
the  Scriptures,  that  no  one  can  be  saved  but  he  who 
believes  on  Christ,  so  that  against  this  they  can  say 
nothing.  But  on  their  side  they  will  never  be  able 
to  prove  to  us  from  Scripture  that  he  is  to  be  con- 
demned who  does  not  fast  on  this  or  that  day.  There- 
fore we  ought  not  and  shall  not  believe  them. 


44  THE    FIRST   EPISTLE  [CHAP.  I. 

Now  St.  Peter  says  further  : 

V.  11.  Which  spirit  testified  beforehand  the  suffer- 
ings of  Christ,  and  the  glory  that  should  thereafter  he 
revealed.  This  may  be  understood  of  both  kinds  of 
suffering, — that  which  Christ,  and  we  also,  suffer.  St. 
Paul  calls  the  sufferings  of  all  Christians  the  suffering 
of  Christ.  For  just  as  the  faith,  the  name,  the  word 
and  work  of  Christ  are  mine,  inasmuch  as  I  believe  on 
Him,  so  His  suffering  is  also  mine,  since  I  suffer  also  for 
His  sake.  Thus  will  the  sufferings  of  Christ  be  daily 
fulfilled  in  Christians,  until  the  end  of  the  world. 

This  is  then  our  consolation  in  all  the  sufferings  that 
we  experience,  that  all  that  we  suffer  Christ  shares 
with  us,  that  He  accounts  it  all  as  His  own  suffering. 
And  of  this  we  are  assured,  that  speedily  after  suffer- 
ing glory  shall  follow.  But  this  we  must  also  under- 
stand, that  Christ  was  not  glorified  before  He  suffered, 
so  that  we  are  to  bear  our  cross  with  Him  first,  that 
afterward  we  may  share  His  joy. 

AH  that  we  now  preach,  he  says,  the  prophets  pre- 
viously foretold  and  described  in  the  most  explicit  man- 
ner, just  as  the  Holy  Spirit  revealed  it  to  them.  That 
we  so  imperfectly  understand  the  prophets  is,  because 
we  do  not  understand  their  language,  since  they  have 
spoken  clearly  enough.  Therefore  they  that  are  ac- 
quainted with  the  language,  and  have  the  Spirit  of  God, 
which  all  believers  have,  to  them  it  is  not  difficult  of 


CHAP.  I.]  GENERAL   OF   ST.    PETER.  45 

apprehension  since  they  know  the  scope  of  all  Scrip- 
ture. But  if  any  one  does  not  understand  their  lan- 
guage, and  has  not  the  spirit,  or  a  christian  apprehen- 
sion, it  might  seem  to  him  as  though  the  prophets  were 
drunken  and  full  of  new  wine  ;  although  where  we 
must  want  one,  the  spirit  without  the  language  is  bet- 
ter than  the  language  without  the  spirit.  The  prophets 
have  a  peculiar  phraseology,  but  the  sentiment  is  the 
same  which  the  Apostles  preach,  for  both  have  spoken 
largely  of  the  suffering  and  of  the  glory  of  Christ,  as 
well  as  of  those  things  that  relate  to  faith.  As  when 
David  speaks  of  Christ  (Ps.  xxi.),  "  I  am  a  worm  and 
no  man,"  whereby  he  shows  liow  deeply  he  is  cast  down 
and  despondent  in  liis  suffering.  Likewise,  also,  he 
writes  of  his  people  and  of  tlie  affliction  of  Christians, 
in  Psalm  xlv.  :  "  We  are  despised,  and  accounted  as 
sheep  for  the  slaughter." 

Y.  12.  That  not  for  their  own  saJces  hut/or  ours  did 
they  minister  that  which  is  noio  preached  unto  you,  by 
those  who  have  preached  the  Gosjyel  to  you,  through  the 
Holy  Ghost  sent  doivn  from  heaven ;  that  is,  the  proph- 
ets possessed  enough  thereof  to  know  the  fact.  But 
that  they  should  have  left  it  behind  them  (on  record) 
calls  for  our  gratitude  ;  they  have  become  our  servants, 
and  have  so  ministered  to  us,  that  we,  througli  them, 
might  go  to  school  and  learn  the  same  lesson.  There 
we  have  an  argument  to  show  that  our  faith  should 


46  THE    FIRST   EPISTLE  [CHAP.  I. 

grow  Stronger,  and  we  be  enabled  to  arm  and  sustain 
ourselves  against  all  false  doctrine. 

Into  lohicli  also  the  angels  desired  to  look.  So  great 
things  have  the  Apostles  declared  to  us,  through  the 
Holy  Spirit,  which  descended  upon  them  from  heaven,  as 
even  the  angels  would  gladly  look  into.  When  this 
Spirit  opens  our  eyes  and  makes  us  see  what  the  Gospel 
is,  we  shall  have  an  appetite  for  it  and  a  joy  in  it, 
although  we  cannot  behold  it  with  bodily  eyes,  but 
must  believe  that  we  are  partakers  and  fellow-heirs  of 
the  righteousness,  truth,  salvation  and  all  the  blessings 
which  God  Has  to  bestow.  For  since  He  has  given  us 
His  only  Son,  that  highest  good,  He  will  also,  through 
Him,  give  us  all  good  things,  riches  and  treasures, 
whereof  the  angels  in  heaven  have  all  their  joy,  and  of 
which  they  are  most  desirous.  All  this  is  offered  to 
us  through  the  Gospel,  and  if  we  believe  we  shall  also 
have  a  like  desire  for  them.  But  our  desire  for  them 
cannot  be  as  perfect  as  that  of  the  angels,  so  long  as 
we  live  on  earth  ;  but  it  is  a  good  beginning  in  us,  if 
we  experience,  through  faith,  something  of  it.  But  in 
heaven  it  is  so  great  that  no  human  heart  can  conceive 
it ;  but  if  we  reach  that  place  we  shall  ourselves  feel  it. 

Thus  you  see  how  St.  Peter  teaches  us  to  arm  and 
equip  ourselves  with  Scripture.  For  hitherto  he  has 
described  what  it  is  to  preach  the  Gospel,  and  shown 


CHAP.  I.]  GENERAL   OF   ST.    PETER.  47 

that  as  it  heretofore  has  been  preached  by  the  prophets, 
so  it  should  still  be,  and  should  be  preached  in  like 
manner.  Now  he  proceeds  farther,  and  admonishes 
us  in  this  chapter  that  we  should  cleave  to  the  same 
preaching  of  the  Gospel  by  faith,  and  follow  after  it 
by  love,  and  therefore  says, — 

V.  13-16.  Gird  up  therefore  the  loins  of  your  mind; 
he  sober,  and  fix  your  hope  firmly  on  the  grace  which  is 
offered  you  through  the  revelation  of  Jesus  Christ,  as 
obedient  children,  not  conformable  to  the  previous  lusts 
of  your  ignorance;  but  as  He  who  has  called  you  is  Holy, 
be  ye  also  holy  in  all  your  conduct,  as  it  is  loritten,  Be 
ye  holy  for  I  am  Holy. 

This  is  an  admonition  to  faith,  and  the  sense  is  this  : 
while  such  things  are  preached  to  you  and  bestowed 
upon  you  through  the  Gospel  as  the  angels  would 
rejoice  and  be  desirous  to  behold,  rely  on  them,  and 
fix  your  confidence  thereon  with  all  firmness,  so  that  it 
shall  be  a  real  faith,  and  not  a  painted  or  fictitious 
fancy  or  dream. 

Gird  up  the  loins  of  your  mind.  Here  Peter  speaks 
of  a  spiritual  girding  of  the  mind,  just  as  one  girds  his 
sword  to  the  loins  of  his  body.  This  girding  has 
Christ  also  enforced,  Luke  xii.,  where  he  says,  "  Let 
your  loins  be  girt  about."  In  some  places  the  Scrip- 
tures speak  of  the  loins  with  reference  to  bodily  lust ; 
but  here  St.  Peter  speaks  of  the  loins  of  the  spirit. 
As  to  the  body,  Scripture  speaks  of  the  loins  witli 


48  THE   FIRST   EPISTLE  .  [CHAP.  I. 

reference  to  natural  generation  from  the  father  ;  as  we 
read,  Genesis  xlix.,  that  from  the  loins  of  Judah  Christ 
should  come.  Likewise  the  bodily  girding  of  the  loins 
is  the  same  with  chastity,  as  Isaiah  says,  chapter  xi., 
"  Righteousness  shall  be  the  girdle  of  his  loins,  and 
faith  the  girdle  of  his  reins."  That  is,  only  by  faith 
is  wicked  lust  subdued  and  restrained. 

But  this  spiritual  girding,  whereof  the  Apostle 
speaks,  means  more.  As  a  virgin  is  pure  and  inviolate 
in  body,  so  is  the  soul  spiritually  inviolate  through 
faith,  by  which  it  becomes  Christ's  bride.  But  if  it 
falls  from  faith  into  false  doctrine,  it  must  be  brought 
to  shame.  Hence  Scripture  uniformly  calls  impiety 
and  unbelief,  adultery  and  whoredom, — that  is,  when 
the  soul  relies  on  human  doctrines,  and  thus  lets  go  its 
hold  on  faith  and  Christ.  This  St.  Peter  here  forbids, 
when  he  calls  on  us  to  gird  up  the  loins  of  our  mind  ; 
as  though  he  would  say,  ye  have  now  heard  the  Gospel 
and  have  come  to  believe,  therefore  see  to  it  that  ye 
abide  therein,  and  do  not  suffer  yourselves  to  be  drawn 
away  with  false  doctrine,  so  that  ye  shall  not  waver 
and  run  hither  and  thither  with  works. 

And  here  he  adopts  a  peculiar  mode  of  speech,  not 
after  the  manner  of  St.  Paul,  where  he  speaks  of  "  the 
loins  of  your  mind."  He  calls  that  mind  here  which 
we  speak  of  as  disposition  ;  as  when  I  say,  "  This  seems 
to  me  right  and  as  Paul  speaks,  so  we  understand  it, 
so  we  are  disposed"    In  this  he  refers  especially  to 


CHAP.  I.]  GENERAL   OF   ST.    PETEK.  49 

faith,  and  would  say  :  ye  have  attained  a  correct  ap- 
prehension that  we  must  be  justified  through  faith  ; 
abide  in  that  mind  ;  gird  it  up  well,  hold  fast  tliereon, 
and  suffer  not  yourselves  to  be  torn  from  it ;  then 
shall  ye  stand  well.  For  many  false  teachers  shall 
come  in  and  set  up  human  doctrines  that  they  may 
pervert  your  understanding  and  loose  the  girdle  of 
your  faith  ;  wherefore  be  admonished,  and  bind  it  well 
to  your  mind. 

The  hypocrites  who  rest  on  their  own  works,  and 
hence  pass  a  carefully  abstemious  life,  are  thus  minded, 
that  God  must  bring  them  to  heaven  for  their  works' 
sake ;  they  are  puffed  up,  become  proud,  abiding  in 
their  own  opinion  and  blindness,  like  the  Pharisees, 
Luke  xviii.  Of  whom  also  Mary  speaks,  in  the  Mag- 
nijimf,  where  she  uses  the  same  word  that  stands  here 
in  Peter,  He  hath  scattered  the  proud  in  the  disposi- 
tion of  their  hearts, — that  is,  in  their  own  minds. 

Be  sober.  To  be  sober  is  of  service  outwardly  to 
the  body,  and  is  the  chief  work  of  faith.  For  though 
a  man  has  been  justified,  he  still  is  not  secured  from 
evil  lusts  ;  faith  has  indeed  begun  to  subdue  the  flesh, 
but  this  is  ever  bestirring  itself,  and  likewise  running 
riot  in  all  sorts  of  lusts,  which  would  gladly  break 
forth  again  and  act  after  their  own  will.  Therefore 
the  spirit  must  daily  work  to  restrain  and  subdue  it, 
and  must  charge  itself  therewith,  without  intermission, 
S 


50  THE   FIRST   EPISTLE  [CHAP.  I. 

and  have  a  care  of  the  flesh  that  it  do  not  destroy 
faith.  Therefore  those  persons  deceive  themselves,  who 
indeedsay  they  have  faith,  and  imagining  that  this  is 
enough,  live  thenceforth  according  to  their  own  caprice. 
Where  the  faith  is  genuine  it  must  control  the  body 
and  hold  it  in  check,  so  that  it  shall  not  do  what  it 
lusts  after.  Therefore  St.  Peter  says  that  we  should 
be  sober. 

Yet  he  would  not  have  us  destroy  the  body  or 
weaken  it  too  much,  as  we  find  many  do  wlio  have 
fasted  and  tortured  themselves  to  death.  St.  Bernard, 
even,  continued  for  a  long  time  in  this  folly,  although 
he  was  truly  a  holy  man,  for  he  mortified  his  body  to 
such  an  extent  that  his  breath  was  offensive  and  could 
not  be  endured.  Yet  he  afterwards  forsook  it,  and 
charged  his  brethren  that  they  should  not  inflict  injury 
upon  the  body  ;  for  he  saw  very  well  that  he  had  ren- 
dered himself  unfit  to  be  of  service  to  his  brethren. 
Therefore  St.  Peter  requires  nothing  more  than  that 
we  should  be  sober, — that  is,  mortify  the  body  to  such 
an  extent  as  to  prevent  its  being  in  our  apprehension 
too  wanton  ;  for  he  fixes  no  definite  time  how  long  we 
should  fast,  as  the  Pope  has  done,  but  leaves  it  to  each, 
individually,  to  fast  so  that  he  remain  sober  and  do 
not  burden  the  body  with  gluttony,  to  the  end  that  he 
remain  in  possession  of  reason  and  reflection,  and  con- 
sider how  far  it  is  necessary  for  him  to  hold  the  body 
in  check.     For  it  is  utterly  idle  to  impose  one  and  the 


CHAP.  I.]  GENERAL   OF   ST.    PETER.  51 

same  command  upon  a  whole  congregation  and  church, 
since  we  are  so  unlike  one  to  the  other  ;  one  strong, 
another  weak  in  body, — so  that  one  must  mortify  it 
more,  another  less,  provided  the  body  is  to  remain 
sound  and  in  the  best  state  for  exertion. 

But  another  multitude  mistake  here,  determined 
that  they  will  not  fast,  and  that  they  may  eat  flesh,  and 
herein  are  wrong.  For  these  persons  reject  the  Gospel 
also,  and  are  unprofitable  as  well  as  the  others  ;  doing 
no  more  than  contemn  the  Pope's  command,  unwilling 
to  gird  up  their  mind  and  spirit,  as  Peter  says,  leav- 
ing the  body  to  its  own  caprice,  that  it  may  become 
corrupt  and  wanton.  It  is  well  to  fast ;  but  that  only 
can  be  called  true  fasting,  when  we  give  the  body  no 
more  food  than  is  needful  for  it  that  it  may  retain  its 
health  and  endure  labor  and  watchfulness — that  the  old 
ass  do  not  become  too  obstinate,  and  going  on  the  ice 
to  dance,  break  a  bone  ;  but  go  on  subject  to  control, 
and  following  the  spirit ;  not  after  the  manner  of  those 
who,  whenever  they  fast,  fill  themselves  so  full  of  fish 
and  the  best  wine,  that  their  bellies  are  puffed  out. 
Thus  St.  Peter  directs  us  to  be  sober,  and  now  says 
further  : 

And  fix  your  hope  firmly  (or  icitli  all  deliber- 
ation)  on  the  grace  tvhich  is  offered  you.  The 
christian  faith  is  of  such  a  nature  that  it  plants  itself 
freelv  on   the  word  of  God  with  entire   confidence, 


52  THE   FIKST   EPISTLE  [CHAP.  I. 

ventures  freely  thereupon,  and  goes  joyfully  onward. 
Therefore  Peter  would  say  :  The  loins  of  your  mind 
are  girt  about,  and  your  faith  is  genuine,  when  you 
venture  it  thus  .on  that  Word,  let  it  cost  what  it 
will, — property,  honor,  limb,  or  life. 

Thus  has  he  with  these  words  in  truth  well  described 
a  genuine  and  unfeigned  faith.  It  must  not  be  a  cor- 
rupt and  sleepy  faith,  becoming  thus  only  a  dream, 
but  a  living  and  active  reality,  that  we  may  with  all 
deliberation  devote  ourselves  to  it  and  cleave  to  the 
Word,  so  that,  let  God  permit  it  to  go  with  us  as  it 
will,  we  will  yet  press  onward  through  good  and  ill. 
Thus  when  I  come  to  die  I  must  venture  promptly  on 
Christ,  lift  my  head  boldly,  and  rely  upon  the  word 
of  God  which  cannot  deceive  me.  Thus  must  faith 
go  straight  forward,  in  nothing  permit  itself  to  be  led 
astray,  and  subject  to  scrutiny  all  that  it  sees,  hears 
and  feels.  Such  faith  St.  Peter  requires  as  consists, 
not  in  thought  or  word,  but  in  such  power  as  this. 

Again,  St.  Peter  says  :  Set  your  hope  on  the  grace 
which  is  offered  you.  That  is,  ye  have  not  deserved 
this  great  grace,  but  yet  it  is  freely  offered  you  ;  for 
the  Gospel,  which  reveals  this  grace,  is  no  invention 
or  discovery  of  our  own,  but  the  Holy  Spirit  has  sent 
it  down  from  heaven  into  the  world.  But  what  is  it 
that  is  offered  to  us  ?  This,  that  we  have  already  heard, 
that  whosoever  believes  on  Christ  and  cleaves  to  the 
Word  possesses  Him,  witli  all  the  blessings  He  has  to 


CHAP.  I.]  GENERAL   OF   ST.    PETER.  53 

give,  SO  that  He  is  Lord  over  sin,  death,  the  devil  and 
hell,  and  is  assured  of  eternal  life.  This  treasure  is 
brought  to  our  doors  and  laid  in  our  bosom  without  our 
help  or  desert,  yes,  beyond  our  expectation  and  with- 
out our  knowledge  or  thought.  Therefore  the  Apostle 
would  have  us  venture  thereon  cheerfully,  for  God,  who 
offers  us  such  grace,  will  surely  not  deceive  us. 

Through  the  revelation  of  Jesus  Christ.  God  per- 
mits none  to  make  the  offer  of  His  grace  except 
through  Christ.  Therefore  no  man  should  attempt' 
to  approach  Him  apart  from  this  Mediator,  as  we 
have  already  above  heard  sufficiently.  For  He 
will  hear  no  one  but  him  who  brings  His  dear  Son 
with  him,  whom  He  alone  regards,  and  for  His  sake 
those  that  depend  upon  Him.  Therefore  He  would 
have  us  confess  the  Son,  that  we  are  reconciled 
througli  His  blood  to  the  Father,  so  that  we  may 
approach  before  Him.  For  to  this  end  did  Christ 
come  into  the  world,  assume  flesh  and  blood,  and 
joined  Himself  to  us,  that  He  might  obtain  such 
grace  for  us  with  the  Father.  So,  too,  all  the  prophets 
and  patriarchs  have  been  kept  and  saved,  through  such 
faith  on  Christ.  For  they  all  have  exercised  faith  in 
the  promise  which  God  made  to  Abraham,  "  Through 
thy  seed  shall  all  nations  be  blest.'"  Therefore,  as  we 
have  said,  to  the  Jews  and  to  the  Turks,  faith  is  of  no 
avail,  neither  to  any  that  rest  upon  their  own  works 


'54  THE    FIRST   EPISTLE  [CHAP.  I. 

and  would  thereby  reach  heaven.  So  Peter  says, 
this  grace  is  offered  you,  but  it  is  through  the  reve- 
lation of  Jesus  Christ  (or  to  render  it  more  clearly  into 
our  language),  because  that  Jesus  Christ  has  been 
revealed  to  you. 

Through  the  Gospel  it  is  made  known  to  us  what 
Christ  is,  that  we  may  learn  of  Him,  moreover,  that 
He  is  our  Saviour.     He  rescues  us  from  sin  and  death, 
and  helps  us  out  of  every  evil,  reconciles  us  to  the  Father, 
and,  apart  "from  our  own  works,  justifies  and  saves  us. 
Whoever  then  does  not  thus  confess  Christ  must  be 
lost ;  for  although  you  may  know  that  He  is  the  Son 
of  God,  that  He  died  and  has  risen,  and  sits  at  the 
right  hand  of  the  Father,— still  you  have  not  yet  truly 
known  Christ,  it  is  all  of  no  avail  to  you  :  but  you 
must  know  and  believe  that  He  has  done  it  all  for 
your  sake,  if  your  faith  is  to  help  you.     Therefore  that 
is   a  vain,  senseless  doctrine  that  has  been  liitherto 
preached  and  taught  in  the  great  schools,  which  have 
had  no  experience  of  this  knowledge,  and  have  only 
attained  to  imagine  how  the  curse  afflicted  Christ  our 
Lord,  and  how  He  sits  above  in  heaven  unemployed, 
and  possesses  a  joy  with  Himself;  and  thus  their  hearts 
remain  barren,  so  that  faith  cannot  live  in  them.     But 
Christ  does  not  stand  there  for  Himself,  but  He  is  to 
be   preached  that  He   is   ours.     For  what  necessity 
could  there  then  have  been  tliat  He  should  have  come 
down  to  earth  and  have  shed  His  blood  ?    But  since 


CHAP.  I.  I  (JKXEKAL    OF   ST.    PETER.  55 

He  has  been  sent  into  the  world,  as  He  says,  John  iii., 
"  that  the  world  through  Him  might  be  saved."  He  cer- 
tainly must  have  fulfilled  this  mission,  because  He  was 
sent  from  the  Father.  For  this  sending  forth  and 
proceeding  from  the  Father  is  to  be  understood  not 
only  of  the  divine  nature,  but  also  of  the  human 
nature  and  of  His  ministry.  As  soon  as  He  was 
baptized  this  began,  and  He  has  fulfilled  it,  for  which 
end  He  was  sent  and  came  into  the  world,  to  wit, 
that  He  might  preach  the  truth  and  obtain  it  for  us, 
that  all  who  believe  on  Him  shall  be  saved.  Thus 
has  He  revealed  Himself,  and  presented  Himself  to 
our  knowledge,  and  offered  us  grace. 

V.  14.  As  obedient  children.  That  is,  conduct  your- 
selves as  obedient  children.  Obedience  in  Scripture 
means  faith.  But  the  Pope,  with  his  high  schools  and 
cloisters,  has  even  wrested  the  word  from  us,  and 
falsely  rendered  what  is  recorded  in  Scripture  con- 
cerning this  obedience,  as  the  passage  in  I.  Kings  xv.  : 
'^  Obedience  is  better  than  sacrifice."  For  while  they 
perceive  that  obedience  is  highly  praised  in  Scripture, 
they  have  usurped  the  claim  of  it  to  themselves,  so 
that  they  might  blind  the  people,  and  that  men  should 
think  it  was  obedience  to  their  stuff  of  which  the 
Scripture  speaks.  Thus  they  would  bring  us  away 
from  God's  word  to  their  lies,  and  to  the  obedience  of 
the  devil.  Whoever  hears  the  word  of  God  and 
believes  thereon,  is  an  obedient  child  of  God.     There- 


66  THE   FIRST   EPISTLE  [CHAP.  T. 

fore,  whatever  is  not  the  word  of  God,  tread  it  under 
your  feet  and  pay  no  attention  to  it. 

Not  conformed  to  the  former  lusts  of  your  ignorance. 
That  is,  that  you  should  not  exhibit  such  ostentation 
and  lead  such  a  course  of  life  as  before,  and  that  you 
be  not  found  in  the  same  condition  in  which  you  for- 
merly were.  Once  you  were  godless,  and  lived  in 
lewdness,  gluttony,  drunkenness,  avarice,  pride,  anger, 
envy  and  hate,  which  was  an  evil,  heathen-like  state, 
and  one  of  unbelief,  and  when  you  had  gone  into  such 
a  state  like  the  blind,  you  have  not  known  what  you 
have  done.  Avoid  now  those  same  evil  lusts.  Here 
you  perceive  how  he  makes  the  charge  against  igno- 
rance, that  all  evil  proceeds  therefrom.  For  where 
faith  and  the  knowledge  of  Christ  are  wanting,  there 
remains  mere  error  and  blindness,  so  that  men  are 
ignorant  of  what  is  right  and  wrong,  insomuch  that 
the  people  fall  into  every  kind  of  vice. 

Thus  has  it  been  hitherto  :  Avhere  Christ  has  been 
kept  out  of  sight  and  eclipsed,  there  error  has  begun 
to  prevail ;  and  throughout  the  world  the  question  lias 
torn  its  way,  how  man  may  be  saved.  This  is  at  once 
a  sign  of  blindness  or  ignorance,  that  the  true  appre- 
hension of  faith  is  lost,  and  no  one  knows  anything 
more  about  it.  Hence  the  world  is  so  full  of  such 
various  sects,  and  all  are  divided,  for  every  one  will 
devise  for  himself  a  wav  to  heaven  of  his  own.     In 


CHAP.  I.]  GEXERAL   OF   ST.    PETER.  67 

our  misfortune  we  must  be  continually  falling  deeper 
in  our  blindness,  since  we  cannot  help  ourselve?. 
Therefore  St.  Peter  would  say :  Ye  have  already 
befooled  yourselves  enough  ;  now  desist  therefrom,  since 
ye  have  been  instructed  and  have  attained  to  a  correct 
understanding. 

V.  15, 16.  Bat  according  as  He  that  hath  called  you  is 
holy,  so  he  ye  also  holy  in  all  yoiir  conduct,  as  it  is 
written.  Be  ye  holy  for  I  am  holy.  Here  St.  Peter 
quotes  a  passage  from  the  Old  Testament,  Lev.  xix., 
where  God  says  :  "  Be  ye  holy  for  I  am  holy  ;"  that  is, 
since  I  am  your  Lord  and  God,  and  ye  are  my  people, 
ye  too  must  be  as  I  am.  For  a  faithful  master  secures 
that  his  people  shall  be  like  him,  and  walk  in  obedience, 
and  be  conformed  to  the  master's  will.  As  then  God 
our  Master  is  holy,  so  are  His  people  holy  also,  and 
we  are  all  holy  if  we  walk  in  faith.  Scripture  says 
not  much  of  the  saints  that  have  died,  but  of  those  who 
live  on  the  earth.  So  David  puts  forth  his  claim  in 
Ps.  Ixxxv.  :  "  Lord,  preserve  my  soul,  for  I  am  holy." 

But  here  our  learned  men  have  for  once  perverted 
the  passage,  and  they  say  :  the  prophet  had  a  particu- 
lar revelation,  in  that  he  called  himself  holy  ;  whereby 
they  themselves  confess  that  they  do  violence  to  faith, 
and  have  not  the  revelation  of  Jesus  Christ,  otherwise 
they  would  surely  be  sensible  of  it.  For  whoever  is  a 
Christian  experiences  within  himself  such  a  revelation  ; 


68  THE   FIRST  EPISTLE  [CHAP    I. 

but  they  who  do  not  experience  it  are  not  Christians. 
For  whoever  is  a  Christian  enters  into  a  participation 
with  Christ  our  Lord,  of  all  his  good  things.  Since, 
then,  Christ  is  holy,  he  must  also  be  holy,  or  deny 
that  Christ  is  holy.  Hast  thou  been  baptized  ?  then 
thou  hast  put  on  the  holy  garment,  which  is  Christ,  as 
Paul  says. 

The  word  Holy  means  that  which  is  God's  own, 
and  which  belongs  to  Him  alone,  or  as  we  render  it  in 
Dutch  (geweiht),  consecrated.  Thus,  Peter  here  says  : 
you  are  merely  required  to  give  God  His  own ;  therefore 
beware  that  ye  do  not  suffer  yourselves  to  be  led  back 
again  to  worldly  lusts,  but  let  God  alone  rule,  live  and 
work  within  you  ;  then  shall  ye  be  holy,  even  as  He  is 
holy. 

Thus  he  has  hitherto  described  the  grace  which  is 
extended  to  us  through  the  Gospel  and  the  preaching 
of  Jesus  Christ,  and  has  taught  us  how  we  should 
therefore  conduct  ourselves,  namely  :  that  we  abide  in 
a  pure,  inviolate  mind  of  faith,  since  we  know  that  no 
work  that  we  can  do  or  imagine,  can  at  all  help  us  : 
when  such  doctrine  as  this  is  preached,  reason  objects, 
and  says.  Ah  !  if  that  is  true,  I  need  not  do  any  good 
work.  And  then  the  great  heads  fall  foul  of  it,  and 
from  a  christian  condition,  educe  a  freedom  of  the 
flesh,  imagining  they  may  do  what  they  will.  These 
St.  Peter  here  meets,  and  anticipates  them,  and  teaches 
how  we  are  to  use  our  christian  freedom  only  towards 


CHAP.  I.]  GENERAL   OF   ST.    PETER.  59 

God.  For  nothing  more  is  needed  but  faith,  to  the  end 
that  I  should  give  God  the  honor  due  Him,  and  embrace 
Him  as  my  God,  confessing  that  He  is  just,  true  and 
merciful ;  such  faith  sets  us  free  from  sin  and  all  evil. 
If  now  I  have  made  such  a  return  to  God,  whatever 
time  I  yet  live  I  am  to  live  for  my  neighbor,  so  as  to 
serve  and  help  him.  The  greatest  work  that  follows 
from  faith  is  this  :  that  with  my  mouth  I  should  confess 
Christ,  sealing  that  confession  with  my  blood,  and  lay- 
ing down  my  life  for  it,  if  so  it  be.  Yet  God  does  not 
need  this  work  ;  only  I  am  to  perform  it,  that  my  faith 
may  thereby  be  tried  and  known,  so  tliat  others  also  may 
be  brought  to  believe.  Thereafter  follow  also  other 
works,  which  must  all  be  directed  to  this  end,  that  I 
may  thereby  serve  my  neighbor, — all  of  which  God 
must  work  in  us ;  for  it  profits  not  that  we  should  lead 
a  carnal  life  and  do  whatever  we  please.  Therefore 
St.  Peter  now  says  : 

V.  17-21.  A7id  since  ye  call  on  the  Father^  icho 
judgeth  without  respect  of  persons^  according  to  every 
mari^s  work^  pass  the  time  of  your  sojourning  here  in 
fear ;  and  he  aware  that  ye  are  not  redeemed  with  cor- 
ruptible silver  or  gold^  from  your  vain  conduct  in  the 
traditions  of  your  fathers^  hut  with  the  precious  hlood  of 
Christ,  as  of  an  innocent  and  unspotted  Lamb^  who  in- 
deed was  provided  previously  before  the  loorld  hegan^  bat 
is  revealed  in  these  last  times  for  you^  loho  through  Him 
believe  on  God^  icho  raised  Him  from  the  dead^  and  hath 
given  Him  dominion^  that  your  faith  and  hope  might  be 
in  God, 


60  THE   FIRST   EPISTLE  [CHAP.  I. 

So  says  St.  Peter  :  Ye  have  through  faith  hereunto 
attained,  that  ye  are  the  children  of  God,  and  He  is 
your  Father.  And  ye  have  obtained  an  incorruptible 
inheritance  in  heaven,  (as  has  been  already  said.) 
Thus  nothing  more  now  remains,  except  that  the  veil 
be  taken  away,  and  that  be  uncovered  which  is  now 
concealed,  for  which  ye  are  still  to  wait  until  ye  shall 
behold  it.  Though  ye  are  now  arrived  at  that  state 
in  which  ye  may  joyfully  call  God  your  Father,  yet  is 
He  so  righteous  that  he  will  reward  every  man  accord- 
ing to  his  works,  and  respect  not  persons.  Wherefore'* 
thou,  art  not  to  imagine,  although  thou  hast  that  great 
name  so  that  thou  art  called  a  Christian  or  a  child  of 
God,  that  He  will  therefore  continue  thine  if  tliou 
livest  without  fear,  and  thinkest  that  it  is  enough  that 
thou  dost  glory  in  such  a  name.  The  world  indeed 
judges  by  the  person,  since  it  does  not  punish  all  alike, 
and  respects  those  who  are  friendly,  rich,  reputable, 
learned,  wise,  and  powerful.  But  God  regards  nothing 
of  this  kind ;  it  is  all  alike  to  him,  be  the  person  as 
great  as  he  may.  Thus  in  Egypt  he  struck  the  son  of 
King  Pharaoh  dead,  as  well  as  the  son  of  the  poor 
miller. 

Therefore  the  Apostle  would  have  us  expect  such 
judgment  from  God,  and  stand  in  fear,  so  that  we  do 
not  glory  in  our  title  that  we  are  Christian,  and  there- 
upon become  negligent,  as  though  he  would  for  this 
reason  pass  us  over  more  readily  than  others.     For  in 


CHAP.  1.1  GENERAL   OF   ST.    PETER.  61 

-"  ■  » 

this  the  Jews  were  formerly  deceived,  who  boasted 
that  they  were  Abraham's  seed  and  God's  people. 
Scripture  makes  no  difference  in  respect  to  the  flesh, 
but  in  respect  to  the  spirit.  It  is  true  that  Christ 
was  to  be  born  of  Abraham's  seed  and  that  a  holy  peo. 
pie  should  spring  from  him,  but  it  does  not  therefore 
follow  that  all  who  are  born  of  Abraham  are  the  chil- 
dren of  God.  He  also  promised  that  the  Gentiles 
should  be  saved,  but  he  has  not  said  that  he  would 
save  all  the  Gentiles. 

But  here  now  a  question  arises  :  When  we  say  that  j 
God  saves  us  alone  by  faith,  without  regard  to  works, 
why  does  St.  Peter  say  that  He  judges  not  according  to 
the  person,  but  according  to  works  ?  Answer.  What 
we  liave  taught  as  to  faith  alone  justifying  before  God, 
is  true  beyond  doubt,  since  it  is  so  clear  from  Scripture 
that  it  cannot  be  denied.  That  which  the  Apostle  here 
says,  that  God  judges  according  to  the  works,  is  also 
true  ;  but  we  must  certainly  hold,  therefore,  that  where 
there  is  no  faith,  there  can  be  no  good  work  ;  and  on 
the  other  hand,  that  there  is  no  faith  where  there  are 
no  good  works.  Therefore  join  together  faith  and 
good  works,  since  it  is  in  both  that  the  sum  of  the 
whole  christian  life  consists.  As  you  now  live,  so  will 
it  be  with  you,  for  thereafter  God  will  judge  you. 
Therefore,  although  God  judges  us  according  to  our 
works,  still  it  remains  true  that  works  are  only  the 
fruits  of  faith,  by  which  we  perceive  when  there  is  faith 


a 


(]2  THE    FIRST   EPISTLE  [  CHAP.  I. 

or  unbelief ;  therefore  God  will  sentence  you  from  your 
works  and  convict  you,  either  that  you  have  or  have 
not  believed.  So  it  is  that  no  one  can  convict  and 
judge  a  liar,  except  from  his  words.  Yet  it  is  evident 
that  he  is  not  made  a  liar  by  the  word,  but  became  a 
liar  before  he  spoke  the  lie,  for  the  lie  must  come  from 
the  heart  into  the  mouth.  Therefoi-e,  understand  this 
passage  thus,  in  the  plainest  way  :  tkat  works  are  fruits 
and  signs  of  faith,  and  that  God  judges  men  according 
to  such  fruits  whicli  must  certainly  follow  it,  so  that  it 
shall  be  openly  seen  whether  there  is  faith  or  unbelief 
in  the  heart.  God  will  not  judge  by  this  whether  you 
are  called  a  Christian,  or  have  been  baptized,  but  will 
ask  you,  ^^  Art  thou  a  Christian  ?  then  tell  me  where  are 
the  fruits  by  which  you  can  evidence  your  faith." 

Therefore  St.  Peter  goes  on  to  say  :  Since  ye  have 
such  a  Father,  who  judges  not  after  the  person,  pass 
the  time  of  your  pilgrimage  in  fear  ;  that  is,  stand  in 
fear  before  the  Father,  not  of  pain  and  punishment, — as 
the  Christless,  and  even  the  devil,  is  afraid, — but  lest 
He  forsake  you  and  withdraw  His  hand ;  just  as  a 
dutiful  child  is  afraid  lest  he  provoke  his  father,  and 
do  something  that  might  not  please  him.  Such  a  fear 
would  God  have  within  us,  that  we  guard  ourselves 
against  sin,  and  serve  our  neighbor,  while  we  live  here 
upon  the  earth. 

A  Christian,  if  he  truly  believes,  possesses  all  the 
good  things  of  God,  and  is   God's  child,  as  we  have 


CHAP.  I.]  GENERAL    OF   ST.    PETER.  6S 

heard.  But  the  time  which  he  yet  lives  is  only  a  pil- 
grimage :  for  the  spirit  is  already  in  heaven  by  faith, 
through  which  he  becomes  Lord  over  all  things.  But 
to  this  end  God  permits  him  yet  to  live  in  the  flesh, 
and  his  body  to  remain  on  earth,  that  he  may  help 
others  and  bring  them  also  to  heaven.  Therefore  we 
are  to  use  all  things  on  earth  as  a  guest,  who  goes  on 
wearily  and  arrives  at  an  inn  where  he  must  tarry  over 
night,  and  can  receive  nothing  from  it  but  food  and 
lodging  ;  yet  does  not  say  that  the  property  of  the 
inn  is  his.  So  must  we  also  proceed  in  regard  to  our 
temporal  possessions,  as  though  they  were  not  ours, 
and  we  enjoyed  only  so  much  of  them  as  is  needful  to 
sustain  the  body,  and  with  the  rest  we  are  to  help  our 
neighbor.  Thus  the  christian  life  is  only  a  night's 
sojourning  ;  for  we  have  here  no  abiding  city,  but  must 
find  it,  where  our  Father  is,  in  heaven.  Therefore  we 
should  not  here  live  in  wantonness,  but  stand  in  fear, 
says  St.  Peter. 

V.  18.  And  be  aware  that  ye  are  not  redeemed  with 
corruptible  silver  or  gold,  from  your  vain  conduct  in 
the  traditions  of  your  Fathers,  but  icith  the  precious 
blood  of  Christ.  This  should  draw  you,  he  would  say, 
to  the  fear  of  God,  wherein  ye  should  stand,  that  ye 
should  remember  how  much  it  has  cost  that  ye  might 
be  redeemed.  Before,  ye  were  citizens  of  the  world, 
and  were  held  in  subjection  to  the  devil,  but  now,  God 


64  THE   FIRST   EPISTLE  [CHAP.  I. 

has  rescued  you  from  such  a  state,  and  set  you  firm  in 
another,  so  that  your  citizenship  is  in  heaven  ;  but  ye 
are  strangers  and  guests  upon  earth.  And  see  at  how 
great  a  cost  God  has  reclaimed  you,  and  how  great  the 
treasure  is,  wherewith  ye  are  purchased,  and  brought 
into  this  state,  to  become  the  children  of  God.  Where- 
fore pass  your  sojourning  in  fear,  and  see  to  it  that  ye 
do  not  despise  such  redemption,  and  lose  tlie  noble, 
precious  treasure. 

What  now  is  the  treasure  wherewith  ye  are  ran- 
somed ?  Not  corruptible  gold  or  silver,  but  the  pre- 
cious blood  of  Christ  the  Son  of  God  :  the  treasure  is 
so  costly  and  noble,  that  no  human  sense  or  reason 
can  conceive  it,  insomuch  that  only  one  drop  of  this 
innocent  blood  were  more  than  enough  for  the  sin  of 
all  the  world  :  yet  has  the  Father  been  willing  to  dis- 
pense his  grace  so  richly  upon  us,  and  denied  Himself 
so  much  as  to  suffer  Christ  His  Son  to  shed  all  His 
blood  for  us,  and  has  bestowed  upon  us  the  whole 
treasure.  Therefore  He  would  not  have  us  disregard 
such  great  grace,  and  count  it  as  a  small  matter,  but 
continue  on  our  guard,  so  as  to  live  in  fear,  that  this 
treasure  be  not  taken  away  from  us. 

And  here  it  is  well  to  remark,  that  St.  Peter  says, 
ye  are  ransomed  from  your  vain  conversation  in  the 
traditions  of  your  fathers  ;  for  he  thereby  strikes  to  the 
ground  all  the  supports  whereon  we  lean  when  we 
imagine  our  view  must  be  right  because  it  has  tlniR 


CHAP.  I.]  GENERAL   OF   ST.    PETER.  65 

been  preserved  from  of  old,  and  our  forefathers  all  of 
them  have  so  held  it,  among  whom  there  were  cer- 
tainly wise  and  pious  people.  It  is  as  much  as  to  say, 
all  which  our  fathers  have  ordained  and  done,  was 
evil ;  what  from  them  has  been  taught  you  of  the-  wor- 
•  ship  of  God,  is  also  evil ;  for  it  has  cost  the  Son  of 
God  His  blood  to  redeem  the  people  therefrom  ;  what- 
ever, therefore,  has  not  been  washed  in  this  blood,  is 
all  poisoned  and  cursed  by  reason  of  the  flesh.  Thence 
it  follows,  the  more  a  man  undertakes  to  make  himself 
righteous  and  has  not  Christ,  the  more  only  he  con- 
founds himself,  and  sinks  deeper  in  blindness  and 
wickedness,  and  condemns  himself  in  respect  to  this 
precious  blood. 

External  matters,  important  in  themselves,  are  even 
trifling  in  comparison  with  this,  that  a  man  should 
teach  how  we  may  be  justified  by  works,  and  devise  a 
worship  of  God  according  to  our  reason ;  for  thereby 
the  innocent  blood  is  most  deeply  dishonored  and 
reviled. 

The  heathen  have  committed  many  great  sins,  in 
that  they  have  prayed  to  the  sun  and  moon,  which 
they  held  for  the  true  worship  of  God,  though  this  was 
joined  with  other  sins.  But  human  justification  (jus- 
tification by  human  works)  is  mere  reviling  of  God, 
and  the  greatest  of  all  sins  that  a  man  commits.  So, 
also,  that  mode  of  life  wherewith  the  world  is  now 
busied  and  which  it  holds  as  the  worship  of  God,  and 


66  THE    FIRST    EPISTLE  [CHAP.  I. 

piety,  is  in  God's  sight  more  provoking  than  any  other 
sin,  as  is  the  priestly  and  monkish  order,  and  which 
while  it  appears  fair  before  the  world,  is  yet  without 
faith.  Therefore  whoever  will  not  obtain  favor  before 
God  through  this  blood,  it  were  better  for  him  that  he 
should  never  come  into  God's  presence,  for  he  thereby 
only  the  more  and  more  dishonors  His  Majesty. 

V.  19.  As  of  an  innocent  and  unspotted  Iamb.  But 
here  St.  Peter  explains  the  Scripture,— for  this  though  so 
short  is  an  exceedingly  rich  Epistle, — since  as  soon  as 
he  had  spoken  of  their  vain  course  in  the  traditions 
of  the  fathers,  he  finds  much  instruction  for  us  in  the 
prophets — as  in  the  prophet  Jer.  xvi.  :  '•  The  heathen 
shall  come  to  you  from  the  end  of  the  world,  and  say, 
our  fathers  have  gone  astray  with  lies,"  as  though 
St.  Peter  had  said,  there  the  prophets  foretold  that  ye 
should  be  redeemed  from  the  tradition  of  your  fathers. 

So  when  he  says  here,  ye  are  redemed  by  the  blood 
of  Christ,  as  of  an  innocent  and  unspotted  lamb,  he 
would  again  refer  to  the  Scripture,  and  explain  that 
which  is  contained  in  the  prophets  and  Moses — as 
Is.  liii. :  "  Like  a  lamb  he  is  led  to  the  slaughter."  So 
as  to  the  type,  Ex.  xii.,  of  the  Paschal  Lamb,  all  this 
he  here  explains,  and  says,  this  lamb  is  Christ;  and  as 
the  one  of  old  was  to  be  unspotted,  so  must  this,  also, 
whose  blood  is  shed  for  us,  be  unspotted  and  innocent. 

V.  20.     Which  indeed  was  provided  previously ,  before 


CHAP.  I.]  GENERAL    OF   ST.    PETER.  67 

the  tvorld  began,  hut  is  revealed  in  these  last  times  for 
you.  That  is,  we  have  not  deserved  nor  even  prayed 
this  of  God,  that  the  precious  blood  of  Christ  should 
be  shed  for  us,  therefore  we  can  glory  in  no  respect ; 
the  glory  belongs  to  none  but  God  alone.  God  has 
promised  and  revealed  or  made  known  to  us,  not  for 
any  merit  of  ours,  that  which  He  from  all  eternity 
had  provided  and  foreordained,  before  the  world  was 
made.  In  the  prophets  it  is  indeed  proiifised,  yet 
dimly  and  not  openly  ;  but  now,  since  Christ's  resurrec- 
tion and  the  sending  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  it  is  publicly 
preached  and  disseminated  throughout  the  wliole 
world. 

This  is  now  the  latter  age  (the  last  time),  as  St. 
Peter  says,  wherein  we  live — now — from  the  ascension 
of  Christ  until  the  last  day.  So  the  Apostles  and 
prophets,  and  Christ  Himself,  also,  call  it  the  last  hour  ; 
not  that  the  last  day  was  to  come  immediately  after 
Christ's  ascension,  but  because  after  this  preaching  of 
the  Gospel  of  Christ  no  other  should  ever  come  ;  and 
there  will  be  no  further  revelation  or  manifestation, 
except  as  this  is  explained  and  revealed.  One  revela- 
tion after  another  has  indeed  gone  forth.  Therefore 
God  says,  Ex.  vi.,  "  By  my  name  Jehovah  was  I  not 
known  to  them."  For  the  patriarchs,  although  they 
knew  God,  yet  at  that  time  had  not  so  clear  a  mani- 
festation of  Him  as  was  afterwards  put  forth  through 
Moses  and  the  prophets ;  but  now  there  has  no  more 


68  THE    FIEST   EPISTLE  [CHAP.  I. 

glorious  or  clear  manifestation  of  Him  come  into  the 
world  than  the  Gospel.  Therefore  it  is  the  last ;  all 
dispensations  have  run  their  course,  but  the  present, — 
the  last, — which  is  revealed  to  us. 

Besides,  the  time  hereafter  is  not  long  to  the  end  of 
the  world,  as  St.  Peter  shows,  II.  Pet.  iii.,  where  he 
says :  "  One  day  is  with  the  Lord  as  a  thousand 
years,  and  a  thousand  years  as  one  day."  And  so 
he  would"  lead  us  by  this  reckoning  of  time,  to  conclude, 
after  God's  method,  that  it  is  the  last  time,  and  that 
the  end  approaches,  but  the  time  which  still  remains  is 
nothino-  in  the  sight  of  God.  The  salvation  is  already 
reve^Sed  and  completed  :  God  permits  the  world  to 
stand  yet  longer,  merely  that  His  name  may  be  more 
widely  honored  and  praised,  although  He  for  Himself 
is  now  fully  revealed. 

Y.  21.  For  you,  who  through  Him  believe  on  God, 
who  raised  Him  from  the  dead,  and  hath  given  Him, 
dominion  that  your  faith  and  hope  might  be  in  God. 
For  our  sakes,  he  says,  is  the  Gospel  revealed.  For 
God  and  the  Lord  Christ  have  not  needed  it,  but  have 
done  it  for  our  profit,  that  we  might  believe  on  them  ; 
and  that,  not  through  ourselves,  but  through  Christ, 
who  intercedes  for  us  with  the  Father,  whom  He  has 
raised  from  the  dead,  that  He  might  be  Lord  over  all 
things  ;  so  that  whoever  believes  on  Him  possesses  all 
His  good  things,  and  through  Him  has  access  to  the 


CHAP.  I.]  GENERAL   OF   ST.    PETER.  69 

Father.  Thus  we  have  faith  in  God,  and  a  hope 
through  the  same  faith.  Faith  alone  must  save  us,  but 
it  must  be  a  faith  in  God  ;  for  if  God  does  not  help  us, 
then  we  are  not  holpen  ;  so  that  it  is  not  enough, 
although  you  had  all  men's  friendship,  but  you  must 
have  the  friendship  of  God,  that  you  may  boast  that 
He  is  YOUR  Father,  and  that  you  are  His  cliild,  and 
confide  in  Him  even  more  than  in  your  beloved  father 
and  mother,  that  He  will  help  you  in  all  your  troubles, 
and  this  only  through  the  one  Mediator  and  Saviour, 
the  Lord  Christ.  Such  faith  comes  not  (he  says)  from 
human  power,  but  God  creates  it  in  us,  because  Christ 
has  merited  it  by  His  blood  ;  to  whom  He  has  given 
glory,  and  whom  He  has  seated  %t  His  right  hand,  that 
He,  by  God's  power,  should  produce  faith  in  us. 

Hitherto  we  have  heard  St.  Peter  admonishing  us 
that  we  should  gird  up  the  loins  of  our  mind,  that  we 
may  remain  undefiled  and  live  in  faith  ;  then,  also,  that 
which  meanwhile  is  so  important,  that  we  should  walk 
in  fear  and  never  forget  that  we  are  called  Christians, 
since  God  is  a  judge  who  respects  none,  but  judges  one 
like  the  other,  without  distinction  of  persons. 

V.  22—25.  And  purify  your  souls,  through  obedience 
of  the  truth  m  the  /Sjnrit,  to  unfeigned  love  of  the 
brethren,  and  have  fervent  lovetoioard  one  another,  out  of 
pure  hearts,  as  those  loho  have  been  born  again,  not  of 
corruptible  seed  but  of  incorruptible,  namely,  of  the  living 
word  of  God,  which  endures  forever.     For  all  flesh  is  as 


'70  THE    FIRST   EPISTLE  [CHAP.  I. 

grass^  and  all  the  glory  of  man  like  the  floicer  of  grass. 
The  grass  withereth  and  the  flower  thereof  falleth  aicay^ 
but  the  word  of  the  Lord  endureth  forever  ;  and  this  is 
the  word  lohich  is  preached  unto  you. 

Paul,  in  Gal.  v.,  points  out  the  fruits  which  follow 
faith.  The  fruits  of  the  Spirit,  he  says,  are  joy,  peace, 
long-suffering,  kindness,  goodness,  faith,  meekness, 
temperance.  So  St.  Peter  speaks  here  of  the  fruit  of 
faith, — to  wit,  that  we  should  purify  our  souls,  through 
obedience  to  the  truth  in  the  Spirit.  For  where  there 
is  real  faith  it  brings  the  body  in  subjection  to  itself, 
and  controls  the  fleshly  lust ;  and  although  it  does  not 
entirely  destroy  it,  yet  it  makes  it  subject  and  obedient 
to  the  Spirit,  and  holds  it  in  check.  St.  Paul  implies 
the  same  thing  when  he  speaks  of  the  fruits  of  the 
Spirit.  It  is  a  great  achievement  that  the  Spirit 
should  attain  control  over  the  flesh,  and  restrain  tlie 
evil  lust  which  descends  to  us  from  our  parents  :  for 
it  is  not  possible  that  we  should  succeed  without  grace 
in  leading  a  chaste  life  in  the  married  state,  to  say 
nothing  of  the  unmarried. 

But  why  does  he  say  then,  purify  your  souls  ?  He 
is  well  aware  that  the  desires  of  the  flesh  remain  with 
us  after  baptism,  even  to  the  grave.  Therefore  it  is 
not  enough  that  a  person  should  refrain  from  Avorks 
and  remain  pure  outwardly,  while  he  permits  evil  lusts 
to  cleave  to  his  heart,  but  must  thereafter  beware  that 
the  soul  be  pure,  as  well  as  whatever  proceeds  out  of 


CHAP.  I.]  GENERAL   OF   ST.    PETER.  71 

the  heart,  and  that  the  soul  be  opposed  to  these  wicked 
lusts  and  desires,  and  continually  contend  therewith, 
until  it  is  free  from  their  power. 

And  here  he  adjoins  an  excellent  provision  :  that 
we  should  purify  our  souls,^  through  obedience  to  the 
truth  in  the  Spirit.  Much  has  been  preached  on 
chastity,  and  many  books  have  been  composed  on  the 
subject.  They  have  said,  we  should  fast  for  so  long  a 
time,  we  should  not  eat  flesh,  we  should  not  drink 
wine,  etc.,  that  we  may  be  free  from  temptation.  These 
things  may  perhaps  have  aided  somewhat  to  that  end, 
but  it  has  not  been  enough,  it  has  not  subdued  lust. 

So  St.  Jerome  writes  of  himself,  that  he  had  mortified 
his  body  to  such  an  extent  that  he  had  become  like 
a  Moor  ;  still  it  had  been  of  no  avail,  and  he  had 
dreamed  of  being  at  Rome  at  a  revelry  among  harlots. 

St.  Bernard  also  subjected  himself  to  such  austeri- 
ties, and  so  mortified  his  body  that  it  became  offensive, 
as  I  said  above.  They  endured  severe  temptation,  and 
purposed  thus  to  subdue  it  by  external  methods.  But 
since  it  is  external,  it  is  only  an  outward  plaster,  with 
no  inward  application.  So  that  it  does  not  suffice  to 
subdue  lust. 

But  here  St.  Peter  has  prescribed  an  appropriate 
remedy, — namely,  obedience  to  truth  in  the  Spirit,  as 
Scripture  also  has  done  in  other  places, — as  Isaiah  xi.  : 
"  Faith  shall  be  the  girdle  of  his  reins."     This  is  the 

*  Make  them  chaste. 


;jr2  THE   FIRST   EPISTLE  [CHAP.  I. 

true  plaster  that  girds  the  reins,  for  it  must  proceed 
from  within  outward,  not  from  without  inward.     For 
it  has  penetrated  into  the  flesh  and  blood,  the  marrow 
and  other  parts  of  the  living  system  ;  it  is  not  outward 
in  the  dress  or  clothing.     Therefore  it  is  not  to  be  ex- 
pected that  we  should  subdue  lust  with  outward  things : 
we  may  weaken  the  body  and  destroy  it  with  fastmgs 
and  labors,  but  the  evil  lusts  are  not  thereby  banished  ; 
yet  faith  can  subdue  them,  and  guard  them,  that  they 
shall  be  compelled  to  give  the  Spirit  place. 

So  likewise  speaks  the  prophet  Zachariah,  ix.,  of  the 
wine  which  Christ  has,  whereby  the  pure  grow,  and  of 
which  he  gives  them  to  drink.     Other  wine  usually  in- 
vites to  wicked  lust,  but  this  wine,-that  is,  the  Gospel 
-subdues  it,  and  makes  the  heart  chaste.    This  is  what 
St.  Peter  speaks  of  when  any  one  heartily  embraces 
the  truth,  and  is  obedient  to  it  in  spirit.     This  is  the 
true  help  and  the  most  powerful  remedy  for  it,  since 
you  will  find  none-which  can  still  all  evil  thoughts  like 
it ;  for  if  this  enters  our  hearts,  evil  inclinations  quickly 
leave  ;  let  whoever  will  try  it,  he  shall  find  it  true,  and 
whoever  has  tried  it,  knows  it  well ;  but  the  devil  lets 
no  one  easily  attain  it,  and  comprehend  the  word  of 
God  so  as  to  delight  in  it ;  for  he  well  knows  how 
powerful  it  is  to  subdue  evil  lusts  and  thoughts. 

St.  Peter,  therefore,  would  here  say,  if  you  would 
remain  chaste,  then  must  you  render  obedience  to  the 
truth  in  the  Spirit,  that  is,— we  must  not  only  read  and 


CHAP.  I.]  GENERAL  OF  ST.   PETEK.  73 

hear  the  word  of  God,  but  apprehend  it  in  our  hearts. 
Therefore  it  is  not  enough  that  a  man  should  preach  or 
hear  the  Gospel  once,  but  he  must  ever  press  after  it 
and  persevere  ;  for  such  grace  does  the  word  possess, 
that  the  more  we  taste  it  the  more  delightful  it  is  ; 
although  there  is,  throughout,  one  and  the  same  doc- 
trine of  faith,  yet  it  cannot  be  listened  to  too  much 
where  the  heart  is  not  wanton  and  untamed. 

To  unfeigned  love  of  the  brethren.     To  what  end,  then, 
arc  we  to  live  a  chastely  holy  life  ?    In  order  that  we 
may  bo  saved  thereby  ?    No !  l)ut  in  order  that  we  may 
be  "useful  to  our  neighbor.     What  am  I  to  do  that  I 
may  restrain  my  sin?     I  am  to  have  obedience  to  the 
truth  in  the  Spirit.     But  why  am  I  to  restrain  it  ?     In 
order  that  I  may  be  of  service  to  others,  for  I  must 
first  control  my  body  and  the  flesh  by  the  Spirit,  and 
thus  I  can  afterward  be  of  service  to  others.-It  follows 
further : 

And  have  fervent  love  toward  one  another  out  of  pure 
hearis/'ihe  Apostles  Peter  and  Paul  distinguish 
brotherly  love,  and  love  in  general,  from  one  another. 
Brotherhood  is,  that  Christians  should  dwell  altogether 
as  brethren,  and  make  no  distinctions  between  them- 
selves. For  since  we  all  have  a  common  Christ,  one 
baptism,  one  faith,  one  treasure,  I  am  no  better  than 
thou  ;  that  which  thou  hast,  I  have  also,  and  I  am  just 
as  rich  as  thou.  The  treasure  is  the  same,  except  that 
4 


74  THE    FIKST    EPISTLE  [CHAP.  I. 

I  may  have  it  in  a  better  shape  than  thou,  since  I  may 
have  it  lying  in  gold,  but  thou  in  a  poor  garment. 
Therefore  as  we  have  the  grace  of  Christ  and  all  spir- 
itual blessings  in  common,  so  should  we  also  hold 
body  and  life,  property  and  honor,  in  common,  that  one 
should  be  of  service  to  another  in  all  things. 
L  Here  he  speaks  plainly  :  m  ujifeigned  hrotherly  love. 
The  Apostles  love  to  make  use  of  the  word,  but  have 
clearly  perceived  that  were  we  called  Christians  and 
brethren  universally  one  with  another,  it  would  be 
false,  a  feigned  or  imagined  thing,  and  would  be  only 
hypocrisy,.i  We  have  many  brotherhoods  set  up  in  the 
world,  but  they  are  vain  deceptions  and  corruptions, 
which  the  devil  has  devised  and  brought  into  the 
world,  which  are  only  antagonist  to  the  true  faith  and 
to  genuine  brotherly  love.  Christ  is  mine  as  well  as 
St.  Bernard's  ;  thine  as  well  as  St.  Francis' ;  if  one 
therefore  should  come  to  you  and  say,  I  shall  go  to 
heaven  if  I  belong  to  this  or  that  brotherhood,  tlien 
tell  him  that  he  is  deceived  ;  for  Christ  cannot  suffer, 
and  will  not  allow  any  other  than  the  common  brotlier- 
hood,  which  we  all  have  one  with  another  ;  yet  you 
come  here,  you  fool,  and  will  set  up  one  of  your  own. 
This  I  will  readily  permit,  tlmt  they  be  set  up,  not  to 
help  the  soul,  but  as  some  one's  endowment,  and  thus 
serve  as  a  fund  from  which  they  who  need  shall  be  helped. 
Thus  we  all  of  us,  as  Christians,  have  attained  a 
brotherhood   in   baptism,  whereof  no  saint  possesses 


CHAP.  I,]  GENERAL   OF   ST.    PETER.  i^ 

more  than  I  or  you.  For  just  as  costlily  as  that  one 
was  purchased,  at  the  same  price  was  I  also  purchased. 
God  has  devoted  as  much  toward  me  as  to  the  greatest 
saint,  except  that  he  may  have  employed  the  treasure 
better,  and  may  have  a  stronger  faith  than  I. 

But  love  is  greater  than  brotherhood,  for  it  extends 
even  to  our  enemies,  and  especially  to  those  who  are 
not  worthy  of  love.  For  as  faith  performs  its  work 
where  it  sees  nothing,  so  also  should  love  see  nothing, 
and  there  especially  exercise  its  office  where  there  ap- 
pears nothing  lovely,  but  only  disaffection  and  lios- 
tility.  Where  there  is  nothing  that  pleases  rne  I  should 
the  more  seek  to  be  pleased.  And  this  spirit  should 
go  forth  fervently,  says  St.  Peter,  from  the  wliole  heart, 
just  as  God  loved  us  when  we  were  not  worthy  of 
love-T^Now  follows  further : 

/ 

As  those  who  have  been  born  again.  Again  we  should 
do  this,  because  we  are  not  what  we  were  before  (he 
says),  but  have  become  new  creatures.  This  has  not 
come  to  pass  through  works,  but  is  a  consequence  of 
the  new  birth.  For  thou  canst  not  make  the  new  man, 
but  he  must  grow,  or  be  born  ;  as  a  husbandman  cannot 
make  a  tree,  but  it  must  grow,  itself,  out  of  tlie  eartli, 
and  as  we  certainly  do  not  become  the  children  of 
Adam,  except  as  we  are  born  and  derive  sin  from  our 
parents.  So  here  it  cannot  come  to  pass  through 
works  that  we  should  become  the  children  of  God,  but 


76  THE   FIRST   EPISTLE  [CHAP.  I. 

we  must  also  experience  the  new  birth.  This,  there- 
fore, is  what  the  Apostle  would  say  :  since  ye  then 
have  become  new  creatures,  ye  should  conduct  your- 
selves otherwise  than  ye  did,  and  lead  a  new  life.  As 
ye  before  lived  in  hate,  ye  are  now  to  walk  in  love — in 
all  respects  the  reverse.  But  how  has  the  new  birth 
taken  place  ?    This,  also,  follows  : 

Y.  23.  Not  of  corruptible^  hut  of  incorruptible  seed, 
even  of  the  living  word  of  God  ivhich  endures  for  ever. 
Through  a  seed  are  we  born  again,  for  nothing  grows 
as  we  see  otherwise  than  through  seed.  Did  the  old 
birth  spring  from  a  seed  ?  then  must  the  new  birth  also 
spring  from  a  seed.  But  what  is  this  seed  ?  Not  flesh 
and  blood  !  What  then  ?  It  is  not  corruptible,  but 
an  eternal  word.  It  is,  moreover,  that  whereon  we 
live, — food  and  nourishment.  But  especially  is  it  the 
seed  whereby  we  are  born  again,  as  he  here  says. 

But  how  does  this  take  place  ?  After  this  manner  : 
God  lets  the  word — the  Gospel — go  forth,  and  the  seed 
falls  in  the  hearts  of  men,  and  wherever  it  fastens  on 
the  heart  tlie  Holy  Spirit  is  present,  and  makes  a  new 
man  ;  then  the  man  becomes  another,  of  other  thoughts, 
of  other  words  and  works.  Thus  you  are  entirely 
changed.  All  that  you  before  avoided  you  now  seek 
out,  and  what  you  before  sought  after  that  you  fly 
from.  In  respect  to  the  birth  of  the  body,  it  is  the 
case  that  when   conception   takes  place   the  seed  is 


CHAP.  I.]  GENERAL   OF   ST.    PETER.  77 

changed,  so  that  it  is  seed  no  longer.  But  this  is  a 
seed  which  cannot  be  changed  ;  it  remains  for  ever ; 
it  changes  me,  so  that  I  am  transformed  in  it,  and 
whatever  is  evil  in  me  passes  away  from  my  nature. 
Therefore  it  is  indeed  a  wonderful  birth,  and  of  ex- 
traordinary seed.— Now  St.  Peter  says,  further  : 

y.  24,  25.  For  all  flesh  is  grass,  and  all  the  glory  of 
man  like  the  flower  of  grass ;  the  grass  withereth,  and 
the  flower  thereof  falleth  away^  hut  the  word  of  the  Lord 
endureth  for  ever.  This  passage  is  taken  from  the 
prophet  Isaiah,  xl.,  where  the  prophet  speaks  in  this 
manner  :  "  Cry !  what  shall  I  cry  ?  Cry  thus  :  all 
flesh  is  grass,  and  all  its  glory  like  a  flower  of  the 
field  ;  the  grass  withereth  and  the  flower  falleth  away, 
but  the  word  of  God  endureth  for  ever."  These 
words  St.  Peter  introduces  here  ;  for  this  is,  as  I  have 
said,  a  rich  epistle,  and  well  spiced  with  Scripture. 

Thus  speaks  the  Scripture,  then  :  The  word  of  God 
endures  for  ever.  What  is  flesh  and  blood  is  corrupt- 
ible, like  the  grass  which  is  yet  green,  so  that  it 
blooms  ;  so  wliatever  is  rich,  strong,  wise  and  fair,  and 
thus  is  flourishing  (which  all  belongs  to  the  bloom), 
yet  you  observe  its  bloom  wither  ;  what  was  young 
and  vigorous  will  become  old  and  ugly  ;  what  is  rich 
will  become  poor,  and  the  like.  And  all  must  fall  by 
the  word  of  God.  But  this  seed  cannot  perish.— Now 
Peter  concludes : 


78  THE   FIRST   EPISTLE  [CHAP.  I. 

l^is  is  the  word  which  is  preached  unto  you.  As 
though  he  would  say,  ye  are  not  to  look  far  in  order 
to  reach  the  word  of  God  ;  ye  have  it  before  your 
eyes  ;  the  word  is  that  which  we  preach  ;  therewith 
may  you  subdue  all  evil  lusts.  You  are  not  to  seek  it 
from  afar  ;  you  have  nothing  more  to  do  than  fully  to 
apprehend  it  when  it  is  preached.  For  it  is  so  near  us 
that  we  may  hear  it,  as  Moses  also  says,  in  Deut.  xxx.  : 
''  The  word  that  I  command  you  is  not  far  from  thee, 
that  thou  must  go  therefor  far  away  ;  ascend  into 
heaven  or  go  beyond  the  sea,  but  it  is  near  thee,  even 
in  thy  mouth  and  in  thy  heart."  It  is  indeed  soon 
spoken  and  heard.  But  if  it  enters  our  hearts  it  can- 
not die  or  perish,  and  will  not  suffer  you  to  perish  ;  as 
long  as  you  cleave  to  it,  it  will  cleave  to  you. 

As  when  I  hear  that  Jesus  Christ  died  to  take  away 
my  sins,  and  has  purchased  heaven  for  me,  and  bestows 
upon  me  all  that  He  has,  then  I  hear  the  Gospel  ;  the 
word  quickly  is  gone  if  some  one  preaches  it,  but  if  it 
falls  into  the  heart  and  is  apprehended  by  faith,  it  can 
never  pass  away.  This  truth  no  creature  can  over- 
throw ;  the  clearest  reasoning  avails  nothing  against 
it ;  and  if  I  too  would  strike  the  devil  while  I  am  in 
his  jaws,  and  am  able  to  lay  hold  on  this,  I  must 
oppose  him  from  this  and  abide  fast  by  the  word. 
Therefore  he  well  says,  ye  must  look  for  no  other 
Gospel  than  that  which  we  have  preached  to  you. 

So  St.  Paul  also  says,  in  the  first  part  of  the  Epistle 


CHAP.  I.J  GENEfL-VL   OF   ST.    PETER.  79 

to  the  Romans  :  "  I  am  not  ashamed  of  the  Gospel,  for 
it  is  the  power  of  God  which  saves  all  that  believe  in 
it."  The  Avord  is  a  divine  and  eternal  power ;  for 
although  the  voice  or  speech  is  soon  gone,  yet  the 
substance  remains, — that  is,  the  sense,  the  truth,  which 
is  conveyed  by  the  voice.  As  when  I  put  a  cup  to  my 
mouth  in  which  wine  is  contained,  I  swallow  the  wine, 
although  I  do  not  thrust  the  cup  down  my  throat. 

So  likewise  is  the  word  which  the  voice  conveys  ;  it 
falls  into  our  hearts  and  lives,  while  the  voice  remains 
without  and  passes  away.  Therefore  it  is  indeed  a 
divine  power  ;  yea,  it  is  God  Himself.  For  thus  He 
speaks  to  Moses,  Exodus  iv. :  "  I  will  be  in  thy  mouth  ;" 
and  Ps.  Ixxx.  :  "  Open  thy  mouth  wide,  proclaim  glad 
tidings  ;  say  thou  art  hungry,  I  will  satisfy  thee,  I  will 
presently  speak  to  thee  comfortable  things." 

So,  also,  in  John  xiv.,  Christ  says  :  "  I  am  the  way, 
the  truth,  and  the  life."  Whoever  confides  in  this  is 
born  of  God  ;  so  that  this  seed  of  our  Lord  is  itself 
divine.  All  this  goes  to  teach  us  that  we  cannot  be 
helped  by  works.  Although  the  word  is  a  small 
matter,  and  seems  as  nothing  while  it  proceeds  out  of 
the  mouth,  yet  is  there  such  an  immense  power  in  it 
that  it  makes  those  who  confide  in  it  the  children  of 
God.  John  i.  Thus  does  our  salvation  raise  us  to  an 
exalted  blessedness. 

This  is  the  first  chapter  of  this  Epistle,  wherein  you 
perceive  in  what  a  masterly  manner  St.  Peter  preaches 


A 


80  THE    FIRST   EPISTLE  [CHAP.  II. 

and  treats  of  faith,  whence  we  easily  see  that  this 
Epistle  is  true  Gospel.  Now  comes  the  second  chapter, 
that  will  instruct  us  in  matter  of  works,  how  we  should 
conduct  ourselves  toward  our  neighbor. 


CHAPTER    II. 

V.  1-5.  Wherefore  lay  aside  all  rnalice^  and  all 
guile^  and  hypocrisies^  and  hatred^  and  all  evil  speakings^ 
and  desire  the  sincere  milk  of  the  loord^  as  new-horn 
babes ^  that  ye  may  groio  thereby,  if  ye  have  besides  tasted 
that  the  Lord  is  gracious^  to  lohom  ye  are  come  as  to  a 
living  sto7ie^  lohich  indeed  is  rejected  by  men,  but  before 
God  is  elect  and  precious.  And  be  ye  also  as  living 
st07ies  built  up  into  a  spiritucd  house^  and  a  holy  priest- 
hood, to  offer  up  spiritual  sacrifices  acceptcdjle  to  God  by 
Jesus  Christ. 

Here  he  begins  to  show  what  the  characteristic  and 
fruit  of  a  christian  life  should  be.  For  we  have  said 
ften  enough  that  a  christian  life  consists  in  two 
things, — faith  toward  God  and  love  toward  our  neigh- 
bor. Besides,  although  christian  faith  has  been  given 
us,  yet  as  long  as  we  live  many  evil  lusts  remain  in 
the  flesh,  since  every  saint  must  be  in  the  flesli,  but 
what  is  in  the  flesh  cannot  be  entirely  pure.  Therefore 
St.  Peter  says,  be  ye  armed,  that  ye  may  guard  your- 
selves against  the  sins  which  still  cleave  to  you,  and 
strive  continually  against  them.  For  the  worst  enemies 
that  we  have  hide  themselves  in  our  bosoms,  and  in 


CHAP.  II.]  GENERAL   OF   ST.    PETER.  81 

our  very  flesh  and  blood,  wake,  sleep,  and  live  with  us, 
like  a  wicked  spirit  which  we  have  brought  home  with 
us  and  cannot  send  off.  Wherefore,  since  through 
faith  Jesus  Christ  is  entirely  yours,  and  ye  have  ob- 
tained salvation  and  all  His  blessings,  let  it  be  your 
aim  henceforth  to  lay  aside  all  wickedness,  or  all  that 
is  evil,  and  all  guile,  so  that  no  one  act  toward  another 
deceitfully  or  falsely  ;  as  with  the  world  it  has  become 
a  common  expression  to  say,  the  world  is  full  of  false- 
hood, which  is  indeed  so.  But  we  Christians  should 
not  act  with  such  deceit,  but  uprightly  and  with  pure 
hearts,  toward  men  as  toward  God,  fairly  and  justly, 
so  that  none  take  the  advantage  of  another  in  sale, 
purchase  or  promise,  and  the  like. 

Likewise  also  St.  Paul  says  to  the  Ephesians,  ch.  iv., 
"  Lay  aside  lying,  and  speak  truth  every  one  with  his 
neighbor."  Truth  is,  tliat  yea  be  yea,  and  nay,  nay, — 
but  hypocrisy,  when  any  one  represents  himself  by  his 
outward  mien  as  being  what  he  is  not  in  his  thoughts. 
For  solemn  is  the  obligation  that  we  should  show  our- 
selves to  be  what  we  are  at  heart.  A  Christian  should 
so  act  that  he  could  permit  all  men  to  see  and  know 
what  he  thinks  in  his  heart.  Let  him,  then,  in  all  his 
walk  and  conduct,  be  anxious  only  to  praise  God,  and 
serve  his  neighbor,  and  be  afraid  of  no  one  ;  and  let 
every  one  be  in  heart  what  he  is  in  appearance,  and  not 
act  a  feigned  part,  whereby  he  shall  make  others  gape 
with  wonder. 
4"- 


82  THE   FIRST   EPISTLE  [CHAP.  II. 

Furthermore,  St.  Peter  says  that  we  should  lay  aside 
hatred  and  evil  speaking.  Here  he  fitly  takes  up  the 
common  vices  among  men,  in  their  intercourse  with 
one  another.  This  evil  speaking  is  exceedingly  com- 
mon and  injurious, — is  soon  done,  insomuch  that  none 
of  us  is  aware  of  it.  Therefore  he  says,  be  on  your 
guard,  if  ye  already  have  a  christian  spirit,  that  ye 
may  know  what  are  the  fruits  of  this  spirit. 

V.  2.  And  desire  the  sincere  milk  of  the  word^  as  new- 
born hahes.  Here  he  institutes  a  comparison,  and 
would  say, — ye  are  like  those  new-born  babes  who 
seek  nothing  but  the  milk  :  like  them,  striving  for  the 
breasts  and  milk,  so  be  ye  also  eager  for  the  word  ; 
endeavor  for  it,  have  an  appetite  for  it,  that  ye  may 
suck  in  the  intelligible,  sincere  milk. 

These  words  are,  indeed,  figurative  ;  for  he  did  not 
mean  literal  milk,  or  literal  sucking,  as  he  does  not 
speak  of  a  literal  birth.  But  he  speaks  of  another  milk 
which  belongs  to  the  mind,  which  is  spiritual,  wliich 
is  procured  by  the  soul,  which  the  heart  must  draw  in. 
It  must  be,  moreover,  sincere  (or  unfalsified),  not  as 
the  custom  is,  to  sell  false  wares  ;  since  tliere  is  truly 
strong  obligation,  and  great  necessity,  that  to  the  new- 
born and  young  Christian,  the  milk  should  be  given 
pure,  and  not  corrupted.  But  this  milk  is  nothing  but 
the  Gospel,  which  is  also  the  same  with  seed,  whereby 
we  are  conceived  and  born,  as  we  have  heard  above. 


CHAP.  II.]  GENERAL   OF   ST.    PETER.  83 

Yet  it  is  also  the  food  which  nourishes  us  when  we 
arrive  at  maturity  ;  it  is  also  the  harness  wherewith 
we  equip  and  clothe  ourselves, — yea,  it  is  all  these  in 
common.  But  whatever  is  appended  to  it  is  human 
doctrine,  whereby  the  word  of  God  is  falsified  ;  there- 
fore the  Holy  Spirit  would  have  it  so  that  every 
Christian  shall  see  to  it,  what  he  sucks  for  milk,  and 
shall  himself  learn  to  decide  in  regard  to  all  doctrines. 

But  the  breasts  which  yield  this  milk,  and  which 
the  babes  suck,  are  the  preachers  in  the  christian 
Church.  As  the  bridegroom  says  to  the  bride,  in  Cant, 
iii.,  "  Thou  hast  two  breasts  like  two  young  roes ; 
they  are  as  though  they  were  hung  with  a  bundle  of 
myrrh  ;"  as  the  bride  says,  Cant,  i.,  "  My  beloved  is 
like  a  bundle  of  myrrh  that  lies  continually  between 
my  breasts."  That  is,  we  should  ever  preach  Christ. 
The  bridegroom  must  resort  to  the  breasts  ;  so  that  it 
is  unjust,  and  the  milk  will  be  corrupt,  if  we  do  not 
preach  Christ  alone. 

There  is  this,  besides :  when  it  is  preached  that 
Christ  died  for  us,  and  rescued  us  from  sin,  death,  and 
hell, — this  is  delightful  and  sweet,  like  milk  ;  but  after 
this,  the  cross  also  must  be  preached,  that  we  are  to 
suffer,  as  we  have  done  ;  and  this  is  a  strong  draught, 
it  is  strong  wine.  Therefore,  Christians  should  have 
at  first  given  them  the  weakest  drink, — that  is,  milk. 
For  it  cannot  be  preached  in  its  simplicity,  except 
Christ  be  pi:eac]ied  first  of  all  ;  wliich  is  not  bitter, 


84  THE    FIRST   EPISTLE  [CHAP.  II. 

but  is  mere  sweet,  rich  grace,  from  which  you  receive 
yet  no  smart.     This  is  the  sincere  milk  of  the  word. 

But  here  St.  Peter  has  supported  himself  by  Scrip- 
ture, as  he  is  throughout  rich  from  the  Scriptures.  In 
the  Old  Testament  it  is  written,  both  in  Exodus  xxiii., 
and  Deuteronomy  xiv.,  "  Thou  shalt  not  seethe  the  kid 
in  its  mother's  milk."  For  what  reason  did  God  per- 
mit that  to  be  written  ?  Of  what  concern  to  Him  was 
it  that  no  suckling  should  be  killed  while  as  yet  it 
sucks  milk  ?  Because  He  would  thereby  give  us  to 
understand  that  which  St.  Peter  here  teaches  ;  and  it 
is  as  much  as  if  he  had  said,  preach  gently  to  the 
young  and  weak  Christians ;  let  them  be  carefully  fed, 
and  thrive  in  the  knowledge  of  Christ ;  burden  them 
not  with  strong  doctrine,  for  they  are  as  yet  too 
young,  but  after  they  have  become  strong,  let  them 
then  be  slaughtered  and  sacrificed  on  the  cross. 

So,  also,  we  read  in  Deut.  xxiv.,  "  If  any  one  have 
recently  taken  a  wife,  then  he  need  not  go  out  to  war 
for  the  first  year,  lest  he  should  be  slain, — but  abide  at 
home  cheerfully  with  his  wife."  All  goes  to  this  point, 
that  we  should  bear  for  a  time  with  them  that  are 
young  Christians,  and  proceed  tenderly  with  them. 
But  when  they  have  grown,  God  brings  them  to  the 
holy  cross,  lets  them  even  die  like  other  Christians,  so 
that  then  the  kid  is  slain. — Now  follows  further  : 

V,  2,  3.   That  ye  may  groip  thereby,  if  ye  have  besides 


CHAP.  II.]  GENERAL   OF   ST.    PETER,  85 

tasted  that  the  Lord  is  gracious.  It  is  not  enough  that 
we  should  hear  the  Gospel  once ;  we  must  ever  be 
anxious  for  it,  that  we  may  grow.  After  faith  has 
become  strong,  we  may  provide  and  eat  each  kind  of 
food.  But  to  those  who  have  not  heard  the  Gospel, 
this  is  not  said ;  they  know  neither  what  is  milk  or 
what  is  wine.  Therefore  he  adds,  if  ye  have  besides 
tasted  that  the  Lord  is  gracious  ;  as  though  he  had 
said,  whoever  has  not  tasted  it,  to  him  it  is  not  a  thing 
of  the  heart,  to  him  it  is  not  sweet ;  but  they  who  have 
tried  it,  who  grow  by  the  food  and  by  the  word,  to 
them  it  tastes  pleasant  and  is  sweet. 

But  it  is  said  to  be  tasted,  when  I  believe  with  my 
heart  that  Christ  has  given  Himself  for  me,  and  lias 
become  my  own,  and  my  sin  and  misery  are  His,  and 
His  life  also  is  mine.  When  this  reaches  my  heart, 
then  it  tastes  ;  for  how  can  I  but  receive  joy  and  glad- 
ness therefrom  ?  I  am  heartily  glad,  as  though  some 
good  friend  should  bestow  on  me  a  hundred  florins. 
But  as  to  him  whose  heart  it  does  not  reach,  he  cannot 
rejoice  himself  therewith.  But  they  taste  it  best  who 
lie  in  the  straits  of  death,  or  whom  an  evil  conscience 
oppresses  ;  for  in  that  case  hunger  is  a  good  cook,  as 
we  say,  that  makes  the  food  have  a  good  relish.  For 
the  heart  and  conscience  can  hear  nothing  more  sooth- 
ing, when  they  feel  their  misery  ;  after  this  they  are 
anxious,  they  smell  the  provision  afar  off  and  cannot 
be  satisfied.     So  also  speaks  Mary,  in  the  Magnificat: 


86  THE    FIRST    EPISTLE  [CHAP.  II. 

"  The  hungry  also  has  he  filled  with  good  things." 
But  that  hardened  class  who  live  in  their  own  holi- 
ness, build  on  their  own  works,  and  feel  not  their  sin 
and  misery,  they  taste  this  not.  Whoever  sits  at  table 
and  is  hungry,  he  relishes  all,  readily  ;  but  to  him  who 
is  previously  full,  nothing  relishes,  but  he  can  only 
murmur  at  the  most  excellent  food.  Therefore  the 
Apostle  says,  if  ye  have  besides  tasted  that  the  Lord 
is  gracious.  But  it  is  as  though  he  had  said,  If  ye 
have  not  tasted  it,  then  I  preach  to  you  in  vain. — He 
further  says : 

V.  4.  To  whom  ye  art  come  as  to  a  living  stone.  Here 
he  falls  back  again  upon  the  Scripture,  and  quotes  the 
prophet  Isaiah,  chap,  xxviii.,  where  he  also  says : 
"  Hear  now  what  God  says  to  you,  scorners  :  ye  say, 
we  have  made  a  league  with  death  and  with  hell,  and 
have  made  lies  our  trust.  Therefore  thus  saith  the 
Lord,  I  lay  in  the  foundation  of  Zion  an  elect,  precious 
corner  stone,  a  sure  foundation,"  etc. 

This  passage  Paul  has  also  quoted,  and  it  is  an 
important  passage  of  Scripture,  for  Christ  is  the  pre- 
cious head-stone  which  God  has  laid,  on  which  v>'e 
must  be  built. 

And  observe  how  St.  Peter  quotes  the  expression, 
and  shows  the  stone  to  signify  Christ.  Just  as  Isaiah 
had  spoken  of  setting  confidence  upon  Him,  St.  Peter 
likewise  says,  it  is  as  mucli  as  trusting  in  Him  ;  thus 


CHAP.  11.]  GENERAL   OF   ST.    PETER.  87 

is  Scripture  truly  explained.  The  builders  lay  the 
foundation  stone  where  it  may  stand  sure  and  firm, 
that  it  may  bear  up  the  whole  building.  So  Christ, 
the  living  stone,  bears  up  the  whole  building  ;  and  it  is 
called  the  building,  in  order  that  we,  bound  one  to 
another,  may  set  our  confidence  and  security  on  Him. 

V;  4.      Which  indeed  is  reeded  of  men ^  hut  before  God 
is  elect  and  precious.    Here  he  brings  forward  a  passage 
of  the  prophet  David,  in  Ps.  cxvii. :  "  The  stone  which 
the  builde  f s  rejected  has  become  the  corner  stone,  and 
it  is  wonderful  in  our  eyes."     Which  passage  Christ 
also  refers  to  in  Mat.  xxi.    So  Peter,  in  Acts  iv.,  where 
he   says:  "This  is   the  stone  which  ye  builders  re- 
jected."    Ye  are  builders,  he  says  :  for  they  taught 
the  people,  went  about  with  great  speeches,  laid  down 
many  laws,  but  made  mere  work-saints  and  hypocrites 
Then  Christ  comes  and  tells  them,  ye  are  hypocrites 
and  broods  of  vipers  ;   pronounces  upon  them  many 
terrible  judgments  ;  judges  them  as  sinners,  and  not  as 
great  saints,  so  that  they  could  not  endure  it ;  they 
even  reject  Him— say  to  Him,  "  You  are  a  heretic  ;  do 
you  caution  that  a  man  should  not  do  good  works  ? 
Ay !  you  must  die."     Therefore  Peter  says,  here,  this 
is  the  corner  stone  which  indeed  was  rejected  of  men, 
whereon  ye  must  be  built  by  faith.    This  is  now  wonder- 
ful in  our  eyes,  as  the  prophet  says  ;  it  seems  strange  to 
us,  and  where  the  Spirit  does  not  teach  it,  it  is  utterly 


88  THE    FIRST   EPISTLE  [CHAP.  II. 

incomprehensible.  Therefore  he  saj^s,  in  God's  eyes  the 
stone  is  elect,  and  an  extremely  precious  stone ;  it  is 
of  great  importance  also  that  it  takes  away  death,  satis- 
fies for  sin,  and  rescues  from  hell,  besides  that  it  freely 
bestows  heaven. 

V.  5.  And  be  ye  also  as  living  stones,  built  up  into  a 
spiritual  house.  How  can  we  build  ourselves  up  ?  By 
the  Gospel  and  that  which  is  preached.  The  builders 
are  the  preachers  ;  the  Christians  who  hear  the  Gospel 
are  they  who  are  built,  and  the  stones  which  are  to  be 
fitted  on  this  corner  stone ;  so  that  we  are  to  repose 
our  confidence  on  Him,  and  let  our  hearts  stand  and 
rest  upon  Him.  I  must  therefore  take  heed  to  myself 
that  I  have  the  form  which  this  stone  has,  for  if  I  am 
laid  upon  Him  by  faith,  then  I  must  also  bear  such 
marks  and  fashioning  as  He  had,  and  every  one  else 
with  me.  It  is  the  fruit  of  faith  and  a  mark  of  love, 
that  we  all  be  fitted  one  to  another,  and  all  thus  become 
one  building.  To  the  same  end,  also,  St.  Paul  speaks 
on  this  subject,  although  in  a  difterent  manner,  I. 
Cor.  iii.  :  "Ye  are  the  temple  of  God."  The  house 
of  stone  or  wood  is  not  His  house :  He  will  have  a 
spiritual  house,— that  is,  the  christian  congregation, 
wherein  we  are  all  alike,  in  one  faith,  one  like  the 
other,  and  all  laid  and  fitted  one  to  the  other,  and 
locked  into  one  another  by  love,  without  any  wicked- 
ness, deceit,  hypocrisy,  hatred  and  slanders,  as  He  has 
said. 


CHAP.  II.]  GENERAL   OF   ST.    PETER.  89 

And  a  holy  2y'"^(^sthood.  There  he  casts  down  the 
outward  and  bodily  priesthood,  which  had  existed 
before  under  the  old  dispensation,  as  also  the  outward 
Church,  which  he  takes  entirely  away,  as  though  he 
had  said,  "  That  outward  institution  with  the  priest- 
hood has  all  ceased,  wherefore  another  priesthood  now 
begins,  and  another  sacrifice  is  offered,  even  one  that 
is  entirely  spiritual."  We  have  had  much  disputing 
on  this  point,  maintaining  that  those  who  are  now 
called  the  clergy  are  not  priests  in  the  sight  of  God ; 
and  this  is  confirmed  out  of  this  passage  of  St.  Peter. 
Therefore  apprehend  it  well,  and  if  one  should  meet 
you  with  the  objection,  and  attempt  to  show,  as  some 
have  done,  that  He  speaks  of  a  twofold  priesthood, — 
of  outward  and  spiritual  priests, — then  bid  him  lay 
aside  his  vain  speeclies  that  he  may  see  clearly,  and 
take  nieswort*  that  he  may  clear  his  brains.  St. 
Peter  says,  also,  Ye  are  to  build  yourselves  up  into  a 
spiritual  or  holy  priesthood.  Ask  now  those  priests 
whether  they  are  holy  :  their  life  clearly  shows,  as  we 
see,  that  this  wretched  set  is  plunged  into  avarice, 
fornication,  and  all  manner  of  vice.  Whoever  has  this 
priesthood  must  certainly  be  holy.  Whoever  is  not 
holy,  he  does  not  possess  it.  Therefore  St.  Peter 
speaks  here  only  of  one  kind  of  priesthood. 

We  ask  further,  whether   he  makes  a  disttnction 

"  Aromatic  snuff. 


90  THE    FIRST   EPISTLE  [CHAP.  11. 

between  spiritual  and  worldly,  since  the  clergy  are 
now  called  spiritual,  and  other  Christians  worldly  ? 

Yet  they  must  confess,  no  thanks  to  them,  that  St. 
Peter  here  speaks  to  all  those  that  are  Christians,  even 
to  those  who  lay  aside  all  wickedness,  deceit,  hypoc- 
risy and  malice,  etc.,  and  are  like  new-born  children, 
and  drink  the  pure  milk  :  so  that  their  lie  must  bite 
itself  in  their  mouth,  since  it  stands  forth  a  thing  not 
to  be  gainsaid,  that  St.  Peter  speaks  to  all  that  are 
Christians  ;  whence  it  is  clear  that  they  lie,  and  that 
St.  Peter  says  nothing  of  their  priesthood,  which  they 
have  fancied  and  arrogate  to  themselves  alone  ;  where- 
fore our  bishops  are  nothing  but  Nicholas-bishops,  and 
as  is  their  priesthood  so  are  also  their  laws,  sacrifices 
and  works.  It  might  be  an  excellent  play  to  act  out 
in  the  deep  night,  except  that  under  the  mask  the 
divine  name  is  reviled. 

Therefore  those  alone  are  the  holy  and  spiritual 
priesthood,  who  are  true  Christians  and  built  upon 
this  stone. 

For  since  Christ  is  the  bridegroom,  and  we  all  of 
us  are  the  bride,  so  then  the  bride  has  all  which  the 
bridegroom  has,  even  His  own  body  ;  for  if  He  gives 
Himself  to  the  bride.  He  gives  Himself  for  Avhat  He  is, 
and  on  the  other  hand  the  bride  gives  herself  to  Him. 
Now  Christ  has  been  annointed  the  high  and  most 
exalted  priest  by  God  Himself ;  has  also  sacrificed  His 
own  body  for  us,  which  is  the  office  of  the  high  priest ; 


CHAP.  II.j  GENERAL    OF   ST.    PETER.  91 

besides,  He  prayed  on  the  cross  for  us.  Again,  He  has 
also  preached  the  Gospel,  and  taught  all  men  to  know 
God  and  Himself. 

These  three  ojffices  has  He  also  given  to  all  of  us : 
therefore,  since  He  is  a  priest  and  we  are  his  brethren, 
so  all  Christians  have  it  in  their  power  and  charge, 
and  an  obligation  rests  upon  them,  to  preach  and  to 
come  before  God,  and  that  one  should  entreat  for 
another  and  offer  himself  up  to  God  ;  and  provided 
tliat  any  one  begin  to  preach  the  word  of  God  or 
address  it  to  others,  he  is  then  a  priest. 

To  offer  up  spiritual  sacrifices  acceptable  to  Ood  through 
Jesus  Christ.  As  to  spiritual  offerings,  it  is  not  neces- 
sary that  we  should  present  tliem  to  the  Pope  ;  neither 
is  sacrifice  such  as  it  was  in  the  Old  Testament, 
when  men  were  required  to  sacrifice  the  tentli  of  all 
they  had.  Such  outward  sacrifices  and  priesthood 
have  all  now  ceased,  and  all  has  become  new  and 
spiritual.  The  priest  is  Christ ;  and  we  all,  since  He 
has  sacrificed  His  own  body,  must  offer  up  ourselves. 
Here  is  now  fulfilled  all  that  was  typified  by  outward 
sacrifices  in  the  Old  Testament,  since  they  have  all 
passed  away,  and  all  of  them  may  be  said  compen- 
diously to  preach  the  Gospel.  Whoever  preaches  this 
exercises  and  carries  out  all  that  former — strikes  the 
calf  dead, — that  is,  kills  the  carnal  mind  and  the  old 
Adam.     For  this  stubborn  nature  in  flesh  and  blood 


92  THE   FIRST   EPISTLE  [CHAP.  11. 

must  be  slain  by  the  Gospel ;  thus  do  we  permit  our- 
selves to  be  offered  upon  the  cross  and  to  die.  Herein 
is  exercised  the  true  priest's  office,  in  that  we  sacrifice 
to  God  that  wicked  rogue,  the  corrupt  old  dolt  (of  our 
nature) ;  if  the  world  does  it  not,  we  must  do  it  our- 
selves ;  but  it  must  in  the  end  be  all  removed,  what- 
ever we  have  of  the  old  Adam,  as  we  heard  above  in 
the  first  chapter.  This  is  the  only  sacrifice  that 
pleases  and  is  acceptable  to  God.  From  this  you  may 
perceive  whereto  our  foolish  and  blind  leaders  have 
brought  us,  and  how  this  text  has  been  kept  under  the 
bench.  Now  you  may  say,  If  that  is  true,  that  we  are 
all  priests  and  ought  to  preach,  what  sort  of  an  institu- 
tion is  there  ?  must  there  then  be  no  distinction  among 
the  people,  and  are  the  women,  also,  to  be  priests  ? 
Answer.  In  the  Old  Testament  it  is  permitted  to  no 
priest  to  wear  the  tonsure.  Not  that  it  is  wrong  in 
itself ;  a  person  might  very  well  suffer  himself  to  be 
shorn  if  he  chose,  but  it  is  reason  that  none  make  a 
distinction  between  himself  and  common  Christians, — 
a  thing  which  faith  will  not  permit.  So  that  they  who 
are  now  called  priests  are  all  laymen  like  the  others, 
and  only  some,  for  the  office'  sake,  are  selected  out  of 
the  Church  to  preach.  Thus  there  is  only  an  outward 
distinction  for  the  office'  sake,  inasmuch  as  one  is  called 
of  the  Church  ;  but  before  God  there  is  no  difference, 
and  some  individuals  are  selected  from  the  multitude, 
in  order  that  they  may  bear  and  exercise  the  office 


CHAP.  II.]  GENERAL    OF   ST.    PETER.  93 

which  they  all  have  ;  not  that  one  is  more  elect  than 
another.  Therefore,  no  one  should  rise  up  of  himself 
and  preach  in  the  Church,  but  one  is  to  be  selected 
and  instituted  out  of  the  congregation,  who  may  be 
removed  when  it  is  desirable. 

Yet  have  these  men  assumed  a  position  of  their 
own  ;  as  though  directed  by  God,  they  have  arrogated 
to  themselves  such  license,  that  almost  in  the  heart  of 
Christendom  there  is  a  greater  distinction  than  that 
which  exists  between  us  and  the  Turks.  When  you 
look  upon  Christians  you  must  observe  no  distinction, 
and  you  are  not  to  say,  this  is  a  man  or  a  woman,  a 
servant  or  a  master,  old  or  young ;  as  Paul  tells  us.  Gal. 
iii. :  They  are  all  one  and  a  purely  spiritual  people. 
So  that  all  alike  are  priests,  all  alike  may  proclaim 
God's  word,  except  that  a  woman  is  not  to  speak  in 
the  Church ;  but  let  the  men  preach,  because  of  the 
command  that  they  are  to  be  subject  to  their  husbands 
— as  St.  Paul  teaches  us,  I.  Cor.  xiv.  :  Such  order  God 
permits  to  remain,  but  makes  no  distinction  of  the 
election.  But  where  there  are  no  men,  but  women 
only,  as  in  the  Nun's  Cloisters,  there  a  woman  may  be 
selected  to  preach. 

This  is  now  the  true  priesthood,  which  consists  in 
those  three  points  as  we  have  heard, — namely,  that  we 
sacrifice  spiritually ;  that  we  pray  for  the  Church  ; 
that  we  preach.  Whoever  will  do  this,  he  is  a  priest, 
as  all  are  bound  to  be,  inasmuch  as  they  should  preach 


94  THE    FIRST    El'lSTLE  [CHAP.  II. 

the  word,  pray  for  the  Church,  and  offer  themselves  up 
before  God.  Let  those  fools  then  go  who  call  the 
institution  of  the  priests  spiritual,  who  yet  bear  no 
other  office  but  just  to  wear  the  tonsure  and  to  be 
anointed.  If  the  being  shorn  and  anointed  makes  a 
priest,  then  might  I  easily  shear  an  ass  and  anoint  him, 
so  that  he  should  be  a  priest  also. 

Finally,  St.  Peter  says,  that  we  are  to  offer  up  spirit- 
ual sacrifices,  acceptable  to  God  through  Jesus  Christ. 
Since  Christ  is  the  corner  stone  whereon  we  are  laid, 
it  must  be  only  through  him  that  we  are  to  treat  with 
God,  as  we  have  heard  sufficiently  above ;  for  God 
does  not  look  upon  my  cross  even  though  I  torture 
myself  to  death,  but  he  looks  upon  Christ  through 
whom  my  works  are  acceptable  before  God,  which 
otherwise  would  not  be  worth  an  alms  of  a  straw's 
value.  Therefore  Scripture  calls  Christ  properly  a 
precious  corner  stone  which  imparts  its  virtue  to  all 
who  through  faith  are  built  upon  it.  So,  also,  St.  Peter 
teaches  us  in  this  passage  how  Christ  is  the  living 
stone — what  Christ  is  ;  and  the  figure  is  a  fine  one, 
since  it  is  easy  to  understand  by  it  how  we  are  to  be- 
lieve on  Christ. — It  follows,  now,  further  : 

F;  6-10.  Therefore  it  is  contained  in  Scripture^  Behold 
Hay  in  Zion  an  elect  precious  coriier  stone^  and  whoever 
helieveth  on  Him  shall  not  he  put  to  shame.  To  you 
therefore  who  believe^  He  is  precious^  hut  to  the  imbelieving^ 
the  stone  which  the  builders  rejected  is  made  a  corner 


CHAP.  11. ]  GENERAL    OF   ST.    PETEK.  95 

sto7ie^  and  a  stone  of  stumhling  and  a  rock  of  offence^ 
even  to  those  that  stmnhle  at  the  icord  and  believe  not 
thereon^  whereunto  they  were  appointed.  But  ye  are  the 
chosen  generation^  the  royal  pi^iesthood^  the  holy  nation^ 
the  peculiar  people^  that  ye  should  shoio  forth  the  praise 
of  him  who  has  called  you  out  of  darkness  into  his  icon- 
derful  light:  who  once  loere  not  a  people.,  but  are  noio 
the  people  of  God.,  to  whom  God  did  not  shoio  mercy.,  but 
(now  have  obtained  mercy)  to  whom  He  is  noio  merciful. 

I  have  before  said,  that  St.  Peter  has  enriched  and 
fortified  his  Epistle  well  with  Scripture,  just  as  all 
preachers  should  do,  in  order  that  their  foundation 
may  rest  entirely  on  the  word  of  God.  Here  also  he 
introduces  four  or  five  texts,  one  upon  anothei'.  The 
first  he  has  taken  from  the  prophet  Isaiah,  word  for 
word,  that  Christ  is  a  precious  corner  stone  or  found- 
ation, and  is  the  very  passage  which  we  have  just 
treated  of  and  somewhat  explained.  It  is  truly  an 
eminent  proof  text  of  the  doctrine  of  faith,  which  is  to 
be  laid  down  as  a  foundation  when  we  are  to  preach 
in  a  place  where  Christ  has  not  been  preached  before. 
For  it  must  be  confessed  that  Christ  is  the  stone  on 
which  faith  should  be  built  and  should  stand. 

But  that  the  prophet  does  not  speak  in  this  place  of 
a  material  stone  is  evident  from  this,  that  it  afterward 
follows,  "  whoever  believes  on  Him  shall  not  l)e  made 
ashamed."  If  I  am  to  believe  on  Him,  it  must  be  a  stone 
in  a  spiritual  sense.  For  how  am  I  to  believe  on  stone 
and  wood  ?    Besides,  He  must  be  truly  God,  since,  in 


9(3  THE   FIRST   EPISTLE  [CHAP.  II. 

the  first  commandment,  God  has  forbidden  that  we 
should  believe  on  anything  else,  but  on  Him  only.  Since 
then  this  stone  is  laid  as  a  foundation  on  which  we  are 
to  trust,  it  must  be  God  Himself.  On  tlie  other  hand, 
He  cannot  be  God  alone,  but  must  also  therewith  be 
like  man,  because  He  must  be  a  part  of  the  building, 
and  not  merely  a  part,  but  the  head.  If  a  man  then 
erects  a  building,  one  stone  must  be  like  the  other,  that 
each  have  the  complexion,  nature,  and  form  of  the 
other :  therefore,  since  we  are  built  on  Christ,  he  also 
must  be  like  us,  and  of  the  same  nature  with  the  other 
stones  that  rest  upon  Him,  even  a  real  humanity  as  we 
all  have.  Thus  does  the  Scripture,  by  simple  and  few 
words,  express  so  great  a  matter,  even  the  entire  summa 
of  our  faith,  and  in  such  brief  words  comprises  more 
than  any  man  can  express. 

Now  what  this  that  builds  us  up  is,  I  have  already 
said — namely,  faith,  whereby  we  are  laid  on  Christ,  and 
repose  our  trust  upon  this  stone,  and  thus  become  like 
Him  ;  and  then  this  also  must  follow,  that  the  building 
must  be  fitted  one  part  to  the  other,  for  the  other  stones 
must  all  be  laid  and  placed  upon  this  stone.  That  is, 
of  course,  that  love  is  a  fruit  of  faith. 

But  why  does  the  prophet  call  Him  a  foundation 
stone  ?  For  this  reason  :  that  no  man  can  build  a  house 
except  he  lay  one  stone  first  as  a  foundation,  for  the 
other  stones  in  the  building  cannot  stand  except  on 
the  foundation  stone. 


CHAP.  II.]  GENERAL   OF   ST.    PETER.  97 

So  we  must  all  of  us  rest  on  Christ,  and  confess  Him 
for  a  foundation  stone.  Therefore  we  are  not  to  pride 
ourselves  that  the  stone  must  receive  something  from 
us,  but  we  must  receive  blessing  from  it  alone  ;  for  we 
do  not  bear  it  up,  but  it  bears  us  up,  and  upon  Him 
lies  sin,  death,  hell,  and  all  that  we  have  to  bear.  So 
that  all  this — and  whatever  jars  against  us — cannot 
injure  us  if  we  have  been  placed  on  this  foundation. 

For  if  we  remain  resting  on  him,  and  leave  ourselves 
upon  Him,  w^e  must  then  remain  where  He  is  ;  just  as 
natural  stones  must  be  left  on  their  foundation  stone. 

Besides,  the  prophet  calls  Him  a  cornerstone.  The 
Holy  Spirit  has  a  way  of  His  own  of  saying  much  in 
few  words.  Christ  is  a  corner  stone  because  he  has 
brought  Gentiles  and  Jews  together  who  were  at  dead 
enmity  one  with  another,  and  thus  the  Christian  Church 
has  been  gathered  of  both  classes,  whereof  the  Apostle 
Paul  writes  largely.  The  Jews  gloried  in  the  law  of 
God,  and  that  they  were  God's  people,  and  so  despised 
the  heathen.  But  now  Christ  has  come,  has  taken 
away  their  boasting  from  the  Jews,  and  called  us  who 
were  Gentiles  ;  and  thus  he  has  made  us  both  one,  by 
one  faith,  and  He  has  so  dealt  with  us  that  we  botli 
must  confess  that  we  have  nothing  of  ourselves,  but 
are  all  sinners,  and  only  must  expect  righteousness  and 
heaven  from  Him,  and  that  we  Gentiles  may  as  justly 
claim  that  Christ  has  come  to  help  us,  as  the  Jews ; 
wherefore  He  is  the  corner  stone  that  joins  both  to- 
5 


98  THE    FIRST   EPISTLE  [CHAP.  II. 

gether  in  one,  so  that  it  becomes  one  building  and  one 
house. 

This,  now,  is  the  conclusion  to  which  the  prophet 
comes  :  Whoever  believes  on  Him  shall  not  be  put  to 
shame.  When  the  Holy  Spirit  says,  that  they  shall 
not  be  ashamed  who  believe  on  Christ,  he  gives  us  to 
understand  what  he  has  in  view, — to  wit,  that  he  has 
already  published  and  confirmed  the  sentence,  that  the 
whole  world  must  be  confounded  and  put  to  shame. 
Yet  he  would  draw  forth  some  out  of  the  multitude,  so 
that  no  one  may  escape  the  shame  but  he  who  believes 
on  Christ.  So  Christ  explains  Himself  in  the  last  of 
Mark  :  "  Whoever  believes  and  is  baptised  shall  be 
saved  ;  but  he  who  believes  not  shall  be  damned  f  in 
which  words,  moreover,  He  accords  with  the  prophets. 
So  that  Peter  said  well  in  the  first  chapter,  that  the 
prophets  sought  out  the  time,  and  diligently  inquired 
after  the  salvation  and  concerning  the  future  grace 
that  was  previously  promised.  So  now  Christ  is  to 
be  preached,  that  He  it  is  who  has  rescued  us  from 
this  shame  into  which  we  were  all  plunged. 

Now  let  any  one  come  forward  who  chooses,  and 
exalt  free-will,  and  defend  human  ability.  Though 
you  should  commingle  together  all  human  works  and 
doctrines,  and  whatever  springs  from  man,  you  have 
enough  in  this  single  passage  to  overthrow  it  all,  so 
that  it  must  all  fall  like  dry  leaves  from  the  tree. 

For  it  is  doomed  that  whatever  does  not  rest  upon 


CHAP.  II.]  GEXEKAL   OF   ST.   PETEK.  99 

this  stone,  that  is  already  lost.  He  does  not  suffer  that 
you  should  attain  anything  by  works.  With  such  sim- 
plicity speaks  forth  the  Spirit  and  the  Divine  Majesty, 
that  it  despises  no  one,  yet  with  such  authority  that  it 
overcomes  all  things.  Who,  then,  will  set  himself  against 
it,  or  who  will  not  be  terrified  by  it  ?  Therefore  God 
would  have  us  entirely  despair  as  it  regards  ourselves, 
and  appropriate  to  ourselves  only  the  blessings  whicli 
He  has,  and  build  on  that  foundation  which  no  creature 
can  overthrow  ;  so  that  no  one  should  trust  in  his  own 
righteousness,  but  on  Christ's  righteousness,  and  on 
all  that  Christ  has.  But  what  is  it  to  rest  upon  His 
righteousness  ?  Nothing  else  but  that  I  should  despond 
in  regard  to  myself,  and  think  with  myself, — my 
righteousness,  my  truth,  must  go  to  pieces,  and  what 
is  built  thereon  ;  while  His  righteousness,  His  truth, 
His  life,  and  all  the  blessings  which  He  has,  are  eternal. 
There  lies  the  foundation  on  whicli  I  stand  ;  whatever 
stands  not  on  this  foundation,  will  all  necessarily  fall. 
But  he  who  lets  himself  fall  back  on  this,  he  alone 
shall  not  be  put  to  shame,  and  shall  rest  safe,  so  that 
no  violence  shall  ever  injure  him  at  all.  Tlierefore 
Christ  must  be  not  only  a  stone,  but  God  will  lay  Him 
also  as  a  foundation  on  which  we  should  confide.  God 
has  said  this,  who  cannot  lie. 

Now  this  stone  is  not  subservient  to  itself,  but  suffers 
itself  to  be  trodden  on,  and  buried  in  the  earth  so  that 
it  cannot  be  seen,  and  the  other  stones  lie  upon  it  and 


100  THE   FIRST   EPISTLE  [CHAP.  II. 

can  b^  seen.  Wherefore,  it  is  given  to  us  that  we 
should  partake  of  Him,  and  rest  upon  Him,  and  believe 
that  what  He  has  shall  all  be  ours,  as  what  He  has 
procured  ;  that  He  has  done  it  for  us  ;  so  that  I  may 
say, — this  is  my  own  property  and  treasure,  over  which 
my  conscience  can  exult. — But  St.  Peter  says  further  : 

y.  7.  To  you^  therefore^  who  believe^  He  is  precious  ; 
hut  to  the  unbelieving^  the  stone  ivhich  the  builders  rejected 
has  become  a  corner  stone^  and  a  stone  of  stumbling  and  a 
rock  of  offence.  This  exceedingly  precious  stone,  says 
Peter,  is  indeed,  to  some,  precious  and  honorable.  But 
on  the  other  hand,  it  is  also  to  many  not  precious,  but 
despised,  and  a  stone  of  stumbling.  How  is  this  ? 
The  Scripture  ascribes  to  it  a  twofold  aspect,  inasmuch 
as  there  are  some  that  believe  thereon,  and,  on  the 
other  hand,  many  who  do  not  believe  thereon.  To 
them  who  believe,  is  He  precious  ;  so  that  my  heart 
must  be  glad  if  I  repose  my  confidence  and  trust  upon 
Him.  Therefore  he  says, — to  you  that  believe.  He  is 
precious  ;  that  is,  ye  are  greatly  dependent  on  Him  ; 
for  although  He  in  Himself  is  precious  and  excellent, 
yet  this  may  be  of  no  service  or  help  to  me.  Therefore 
He  must  be  precious  to  us  for  this  reason,  because  He 
gives  us  so  many  precious  blessings  ;  as  an  excellently 
precious  stone,  which  does  not  retain  its  virtue  in 
itself,  but  breaks  forth  and  imparts  all  its  powers,  so 
that  I  have  all  that  it  is. 


CHAP.  IL]  general   OF   ST.    PETER.  101 

But  the  unbelieving  hold  Him  not  as  such  a  precious 
stone,  but  reject  Him,  and  stumble  upon  Him,  because 
He  is  not  pleasing  to  them,  but  obnoxious  and  hateful ; 
although  He  is  yet  delightful  in  Himself.  These  are 
not  only  the  great,  openly  avowed  sinners,  but  much 
more  those  great  saints  who  rest  on  their  free-will,  on 
their  own  works  and  righteousness,  who  must  stumble 
on  this  stone  and  run  upon  it.  Now  God  pronounces 
the  sentence,  that  they  who  rest  thereon,  without 
works,  come  to  be  justified  through  faith  alone ;  but 
these  do  not  attain  thereto,  for  they  would  be  justified 
by  their  own  righteousness,  as  St.  Paul  says,  Rom.  x. 

Therefore  this  has  become  the  stone,  says  St.  Peter, 
which  the  builders  rejected.  And  here  he  dovetails 
the  Scriptures  into  one  another,  but  explains  the 
passage  which  he  quoted  above  from  the  cxvii.  Psalm, 
"The  stone  which  the  builders  rejected,  has  become 
the  corner  stone."  Who  the  builders  are,  I  have  suf- 
ficiently shown  :  even  those  who  taught,  preached  the 
law,  and  would  justify  men  by  works  ;  who  agree  with 
Christians,  as  summer  and  winter  with  each  other  ; 
therefore  those  preachers  who  preach  of  works,  reject 
this  stone. 

Besides  this,  he  quotes  another  passage  still,  from 
the  prophet  Isaiah,  chap.  viii.  The  prophet  has  there 
described  that  which  was  to  take  place,  as  St.  Peter 
here  does,  and  speaks  thus  :  "  The  Lord  shall  be  your 
fear,  who  shall  be  to  you  for  holiness  ;  but  for  a  stone 


102  THE   FIRST  EPISTLE  [CHAP.  II. 

of  stumbling  and  a  rock  of  offence  shall  He  be,  to  both 
houses  of  Israel."  This  is  the  sense  of  the  prophet : 
The  Lord  shall  be  to  you  for  holiness, — that  is,  He 
shall  be  hallowed  in  your  hearts  ;  ye  are  to  have  no 
other  sanctification,  neither  this  nor  that,  except  as  ye 
believe.  To  the  others.  He  shall  be  a  stone  whereon 
they  shall  stumble  and  be  offended. 

But  what,  now,  is  this  offence  and  perplexity,  or 
stumbling?     This  is  it :  when  we  preach  Christ,  and 
say,  See  why  this  stone  is  laid  for  a  foundation,  that 
you,  wholly  desponding  and  despairing   in  yourself, 
might  hold  your  works  and  your  own  righteousness  as 
a  merely  condemned  thing,  and  might  place  your  con- 
fidence upon  Him   alone,  and  believe,  that   Christ's 
righteousness  may  become  your  righteousness ;  when 
those  men  hear  this,  they  revolt  at  it,  stumble  and  vex 
themselves,  and  say,  "  How  ?  do  you  mean  to  say  that 
virginity,  and  masses,  and  the  like  good  works,  amount 
to  nothing?     It  is  the  devil  that  bids  you  say  that !" 
For  they  cannot  understand,  in  this  matter,  that  their 
claims  are  not  good ;  they  think  they  have  done  well 
in  the  sight  of  God  ;  quote  passages  to  prove  it  from 
the  Scriptures,  and  say,  God  has  commanded  that  we 
should  perform  good  works.     If  we  dispute  this,  they 
begin    and    cry   out,    "Heretic!    Heretic!"    "Fire! 
Fire ! "     So  that  they  cannot  endure  this  stone,  and 
they  stumble  against  it.     So  inconsistent  are  they  one 
with  another,  that  upon  this  stone  they  must  stumble  ; 


CHAP.  II.]  GENERAL    OF   ST.    PETER.  103 

lis  Christ  says,  Matt,  xxi.,  "  Have  ye  not  read  in  Scrip- 
ture,— the  stone  which  the  builders  rejected  is  become 
the  corner  stone  ?  (and  it  follows)  and  whosoever  shall 
fall  upon  this  stone  shall  be  dashed  in  pieces,  and  on 
whom  it  shall  fall,  it  shall  grind  him  to  powder." 
Therefore,  do  as  ye  will,  ye  cannot  dishonor  the  stone  ; 
it  is  laid,  and  it  will  continue  to  lie.  Whoever,  then, 
will  run  upon  it  and  dash  himself  thereon,  must  neces- 
sarily be  broken. 

That  is  the  stumbling  and  the  vexation  whereof 
Scripture  has  much  to  say.  Thus  the  Jews  stumble  to 
this  day  against  this  stone, — and  this  will  not  cease 
until  the  last  day  shall  come  ;  then  shall  this  stone  fall 
upon  all  the  unbelieving  and  grind  them  to  powder. 
Wlierefore,  although  Christ  is  sucli  an  elect,  precious 
stone.  He  must  yet  be  called  a  stone  of  offence  and 
stumbling,  by  no  fault  of  His.  And  just  as  the  Jews 
did,  we  continue  to  do  at  the  present  day  ;  for  as  they 
gloried  in  the  name  of  God,  that  they  were  God's 
people,  so  it  is  the  case  now,  that  men,  under  the  name 
of  Christ  and  the  christian  church,  deny  Christ,  and 
reject  the  precious  stone.  He  has  come  that  they 
might  reject  their  works  ;  but  this  is  a  thing  they  can- 
not suffer,  and  they  reject  Him.     Therefore  it  follows : 

Who  stumble  at  the  ivord  and  believe  not  thereon, 
tvhereunto  they  tvere  appointed.  If  they  are  told  that 
their  works  are  not  good  and  are  of  no  avail  before 


104  THE    FIRST   EPISTLE  |  CHAP.  II. 

God,  they  cannot  and  will  not  hear  it.  Now  God  has 
laid  down  Christ  as  a  foundation,  whereon  they  should 
have  been  placed,  and  through  Him  ha^e  obtained 
complete  salvation  ;  and  He  has  caused  Him  to  be 
preached  throughout  the  whole  world,  that  they, 
through  the  proclamation  of  the  Gospel,  might  be 
grounded  on  Him.  Yet  would  they  not  receive  Him, 
but  rejected  Him,  and  remain  in  their  own  nature  and 
works  ;  for  if  they  suffered  themselves  to  rest  upon 
Him,  then  would  their  own  honor,  riches,  and  power 
fall,  insomuch  that  they  would  never  rise  again. — St. 
Peter  says  further  : 

V.  9.  Bid  ye  are  the  chosen  generation^  the  royal 
priesthood,  the  holy  nation,  tlie  pecnliar  people.  There 
he  gives  Christians  a  true  title,  and  has  quoted  this 
passage  from  Moses,  Deut.  vii.,  where  he  says  to  the 
Jews,  "  Ye  are  a  holy  people  to  the  Lord  your  God, 
and  the  Lord  your  God  has  chosen  you  as  his  peculiar 
people  out  of  all  the  nations  that  are  on  the  earth.'' 
So,  Ex.  xix.,  he  says  :  "  Ye  shall  be  my  possession  before 
all  peoples,  and  shall  be  to  me  a  kingdom  of  priests 
and  a  holy  people."  There  you  see  where  Peter's 
words  are  from.  As  I  have  said  before,  so  I  say 
again,  that  it  should  be  understood  how  Scri])tiii"o 
is  wont  to  speak  of  priests.  Let  no  one  bo  troubled  as 
to  those  whom  the  people  call  priests  ;  let  every  one 
call  them  as  he  pleases,  but  abide  thou  by  the  pui'c 


CHAP.  II.]  GENERAL   OF   ST.    PETER.  105 

word  of  God,  and  what  this  calls  priests  do  thou  call 
priests  also.  We  could  well  endure  it  that  those  should 
call  themselves  priests  whom  the  bishops  and  the  Pope 
consecrate,  and  let  them  call  themselves  as  they  will, 
only  see  to  it  that  they  do  not  call  themselves  priests 
of  God,  for  they  cannot  quote  a  word  from  Scripture 
in  proof  of  it. 

But  should  they  claim  that  in  this  passage  he  speaks 
of  them,  answer  them  as  I  have  instructed  you  above, 
and  ask  them  to  whom  St.  Peter  is  here  speaking, — so 
shall  they  of  necessity  be  made  ashamed  ;  for  it  is  cer- 
tainly clear  and  plain  enough  that  he  speaks  to  the 
whole  congregation,  to  all  Christians,  in  that  he  says,  ye 
are  the  chosen  generation  and  the  holy  people,  since  he 
has  hitherto  spoken  of  none  but  of  those  who  are  built 
upon  this  stone  and  believe.  Therefore  it  must  follow, 
that  whoever  does  not  believe  is  no  priest.  If  they 
say,  then,  "  Ah  !  we  must  explain  the  passage  just  as  the 
holy  fathers  have  interpreted  it ;"  then  do  you  say. 
Let  the  fathers  and  teachers,  whoever  they  may  be,  ex- 
plain as  they  will,  yet  St.  Peter,  who  has  received  greater 
testimony  from  God  than  they,  besides  being  more 
ancient,  tells  me  so  and  so,  therefore  I  will  hold  with 
him.  The  passage,  moreover,  needs  no  gloss,  for  he 
speaks  in  express  words  of  those  that  believe.  Now 
those  are  not  the  only  believers  who  are  anointed 
and  wear  the  tonsure  ;  therefore  we  will  readily  grant 
them  that  they  call  themselves  bv  this  name,  for  the 


106  THE   FIRST   EPISTLE  [CHAP.  If. 

question  is  not  what  they  permit  themselves  to  do  ;  but 
the  dispute  is  here, — whether  they  are  styled  priests  in 
Scripture,  and  whether  God  calls  them  by  this  name. 
There  may  be  some  selected  out  of  the  Church,  who  are 
its  officers  and  ministers,  and  appointed  to  this  end, 
that  they  should  preach  in  the  Church  and  administer 
the  sacraments  ;  but  we  are  all  priests  before  God  if 
we  are  Christians.  For  since  we  are  built  upon  this 
stone,  which  is  our  high  priest  before  God,  we  must 
also  possess  all  that  He  has. 

Therefore  I  would  be  glad  to  find  this  word  priests 
becoming  as  common  as  it  is  for  us  to  be  called 
Christians.  For  it  is  all  the  same, — priest,  baptized. 
Christian.  As  little  as  I  would  suffer  that  tliose  who 
are  anointed  and  shorn  should  call  Christians  un- 
baptized,  so  little  would  I  endure  that  they  only  should 
be  regarded  as  priests.  Yet  have  they  arrogated  it 
entirely  to  themselves.  So  too  they  have  named  that 
the  church  which  the  Pope  and  liis  cardinals  rule  over, 
but  Scripture  refutes  this.  Therefore  mark  this  well, 
that  you  may  know  how  to  establish  the  distinction 
as  to  how  God  names  us  priests,  and  how  men  call 
themselves  such. 

For  we  must  yet  again  state  that  this  word  jjriest 
should  become  as  common  as  the  word  Christian. 
For  to  be  a  priest  belongs  not  to  an  office  that  is 
external,  it  is  only  such  a  service  as  has  to  do  with 
God's  presence. 


CHAP.  II.J  GENERAL    OF   ST.    PETER.  107 

So  we  conclude  that  we  are  all  kings.  PriestB  and 
kings  are  all  spiritual  names,  as  Christians,  saints,  the 
Church.  And  just  as  you  are  not  called  a  Christian 
])ecause  you  have  much  gold  or  wealth,  but  because 
you  are  built  upon  this  stone  and  believe  on  Christ,  so 
you  are  not  called  a  priest  because  you  wear  a  tonsure 
or  long  robe,  but  for  this  reason,  that  you  come  into 
God's  presence.  Likewise  you  are  not  a  king  because 
you  wear  a  gold  crown,  and  have  many  lands  and 
people  subject  to  you,  but  because  you  are  lord  over 
all  things,  death,  sin,  and  hell.  For  you  are  as  really 
a  king  as  Christ  is  a  king,  if  you  believe  on  Him. 
Still  He  is  not  a  king  as  the  kings  of  this  world  are, 
wears  no  crown  of  gold,  rides  fortli  with  no  great 
splendor  and  large  equipage.  But  He  is  a  king  over 
all  kings, — one  who  has  authority  over  all  things,  and 
at  whose  feet  all  must  lie.  As  He  is  a  lord,  so  also 
am  I  a  lord  ;  for  what  He  possesses  that  have  I  also. 

But  perhaps  some  one  may  object.  St.  Peter  says 
here,  also,  that  Christians  are  kings,  while  we  have  it 
before  our  eyes  that  they  are  not  all  kings,  so  that  this 
passage  is  not  to  be  understood  as  though  He  spoke  of 
all  in  the  Church.  For  whoever  may  be  a  Christian, 
he  certainly  is  not  a  king  in  France  or  a  priest  at 
Rome.  But  when  I  ask  whether  the  King  of  France 
is  also  a  king  in  the  sight  of  God,  this  he  passes  over, 
for  God  will  not  judge  by  the  crown.  On  earth, 
indeed,  and  before  the  world,  he  is  indeed  a  king,  but 


108  THE    FIRST   EPISTLE  [CHAP.  11. 

when  death  comes  then  his  kingdom  is  gone,  for  then 
he  must  lie  at  the  feet  of  those  that  believe.  We  are 
speaking  of  an  eternal  kingdom  and  priesthood,  inas- 
much as  every  one  who  believes  is  in  truth  a  king 
before  God ;  but  who  does  not  know  that  we  arc  not 
all  shorn  and  anointed  priests?  But  because  those 
men  have  been  anointed,  they  are  not  therefore  priests 
in  the  sight  of  God,  just  as  they  are  not  kings  before 
God  because  they  have  been  crowned.  Crowned  kings 
and  anointed  priests  are  of  the  world,  and  are  made 
by  men  ;  the  Pope  may  make  as  many  such  priests  as 
he  chooses,  but  far  be  it  that  he  should  make  one  a 
priest  before  God,  for  these  God  himself  will  make. 

Therefore,  when  St.  Peter  says  here,  "ye  are  the 
royal  priesthood,"  it  is  as  much  as  though  he  had  said, "  ye 
are  Christians."  Would  you  now  know  what  sort  of  a 
title,  and  authority,  and  glory,  Christians  have  :  you 
learn  it  here,  that  they  are  kings  and  priests,  and  a  chosen 
people.— But  what  this  priest's  ojffice  is,  follows  after  : 

That  ye  should  show  forth  the  praises^  of  Him  that 
hath  called  you  out  of  darkness  into  His  wonderful  light. 
This  belongs  to  the  office  of  a  priest,  that  he  be  a  mes- 
senger of  God,  and  receive  from  God  himself  the  com- 
mand to  preach  His  word.  Tlie  praises,  (says  St.  Peter,) 
that  is,  the  wonderful  work  that  God  has  performed  in 
you,  in  that  he  brought  you  out  of  darkness  into  light, 

*  In  the  German,  tugend  or  virtue. 


CHAP.  TI.]  GENERAL   OF   ST.    PETER.  109 

you  are  to  proclaim, — which  is  the  office  of  the  High 
Priest.  And  this  is  the  way  in  which  your  preaching 
is  to  be  discharged,  that  one  brother  proclaim  to  another 
the  powerful  work  of  God  :  how  ye  have  been  ransomed 
from  sin,  death,  hell,  and  all  evil,  by  Him,  and  liave 
been  called  to  eternal  life.  Thus  shall  you  also  instruct 
others  how  they  may  come  also  to  the  same  light.  For 
your  whole  duty  is  discharged  in  this,  that  you  confess 
what  God  has  done  for  you  ;  and  then  let  this  be  your 
chief  aim,  that  you  may  make  this  known  openly,  and 
call  every  one  to  the  light,  whereto  ye  have  been  called. 
Where  you  see  people  who  are  ignorant,  you  are  to  direct 
and  teach  them  as  you  have  learned,  namely,  how  a  man 
may  be  saved  through  the  virtue  and  power  of  God, 
and  pass  from  darkness  to  light. 

And  here  you  observe  that  St.  Peter  plainly  says, 
that  there  is  only  one  single  light,  and  concludes  that  all 
our  reason,  liowever  sharp-sighted  it  is,  is  mere  darkness ; 
for  although  reason  may  count  one,  two,  three,  and  also 
discern  what  is  black  or  white,  great  or  small,  and 
judge  outwardly  of  other  matters,  still  it  cannot  under- 
stand what  faith  is.  Herein  it  is  stark  blind,  and  if  all 
men  should  put  their  shrewdness  together,  they  could 
not  understand  a  letter  of  this  divine  wisdom.  There- 
fore St.  Peter  speaks  here  of  another  light,  that  is  truly 
wonderful ;  and  tells  us  earnestly,  all  alike,  that  we  are 
all  in  darkness  and  blindness  if  God  hath  not  called  us 
to  his  true  light. 


110  THE    FIRST   EPISTLE  [CIIAP.  II 

Experience  teaches  us  this,  also.  For  when  it  is 
preached  that  we  cannot  come  before  God  by  our 
works,  but  must  have  a  mediator,  who  may  come  into 
God's  presence  and  may  reconcile  us  to  him,  reason 
must  confess  that  she  never  could  have  known  such  a 
thing  ;  so  that  if  she  would  understand  it  she  must  have 
another  light  and  knowledge.  Therefore  all  that  is 
not  of  God's  word  and  faith  is  darkness.  For  here 
reason  gropes  like  a  blind  man, — is  ever  changing  from 
this  to  that,  and  knows  not  what  it  does.  But  if  we 
speak  in  this  manner  to  the  worldly,  learned,  or  wise, 
they  begin  to  cry  out  and  bluster  against  it.  There- 
fore St.  Peter  is  a  bold  Apostle  indeed,  in  that  he  dares 
make  that  darkness  that  all  the  world  calls  light. 

So  we  see  that  the  first  and  most  eminent  office  which 
we  as  Christians  are  to  discharge  is,  that  we  should 
make  known  the  praise  of  God.  What  then  are  the 
praiseworthy  things  and  the  noble  deeds  which  God 
has  put  forth?  They  are,  as  we  have  often  said, 
that  Christ,  through  the  power  of  God.  has  wounded 
death,  chained  hell,  subdued  sin  and  brought  us  to 
eternal  life  :  these  are  praises  so  great  that  by  no  man 
are  they  possibly  to  be  conceived  ;  we  can  only  be 
silent.  Therefore  it  is  of  no  avail  that  to  us  Cliris- 
tians  human  doctrines  should  be  preached,  but  we 
should  be  taught  of  such  a  power  as  subdues  the  devil, 
sin  and  death.  And  here  St.  Peter  has  once  more 
brought  together  many  proof-texts,  and  it  is  through- 


CHAP.  II.]  GENERAL   OF   ST.    PETER.  1 1 1 

out  common  with  him  thus  to  heap  passage  on  passage, 
for  all  the  prophets  speak  of  this,  that  God's  name  and 
honor,  and  his  arm  or  power  should  be  honored  and 
extolled,  and  that  he  would  perform  such  a  work  that 
the  whole  world  would  sing  and  speak  of  it.  Of  this  are 
the  prophets  in  all  places  full.  On  this  same  St.  Peter 
here  expatiates.  Besides,  they  have  spoken  much  of 
light  and  darkness,  that  we  must  be  enlightened  with 
God's  light,  thereby  showing  that  all  human  reason  is 
darkness. — St.  Peter  says,  further  : 

V.  10.  Ye  tolio  once  were  not  a  people^  hut  are  now  a 
'people  of  God,  to  ivliom  God  did  not  shoio  mercy,  hut 
to  whom  he  is  now  merciful.  This  passage  is  found 
written  in  the  prophet  Hosea,  chap,  ii.,  and  St.  Paul  has 
also  quoted  it  in  Rom.  ix.  :  "  I  will  make  those  to  be 
called  my  people,  who  were  not  my  people."  The  im- 
port of  all  is  this :  Almighty  God  chose  his  people 
Israel  as  a  peculiar  people,  and, manifested  his  great 
power  in  their  behalf,  and  gave  them  many  prophets, 
and  performed  many  wonderful  works  toward  them, 
that  He  from  that  people  might  permit  Christ  to  be- 
come man  ;  and  for  the  children's  sake  has  it  all  taken 
place.  Therefore  they  are  called  in  Scripture  the 
people  of  God.  But  the  prophets  have  extended  this 
further,  and  said  that  this  election  should  be  more 
comprehensive,  and  should  even  include  the  Gentiles. 
Therefore  St.  Peter  says  here,  ye  are  now  the  people 


112  THE   FIRST   EPISTLE  [CHAP.  II. 

of  God,  who  once  were  not  the  people  of  God.  Hence 
it  is  evident  that  he  wrote  the  epistle  to  the  Gentiles 
and  not  to  the  Jews.  Thereby  he  shows  that  the  pas- 
sage out  of  the  prophet  has  been  now  fulfilled — that 
they  are  now  a  holy  people — they  have  the  property, 
priesthood,  kingdom,  and  all  which  Christ  has,  if  they 
believe. — It  follows  further,  in  Peter  : 

V.  11-12.  Dearly  beloved^  I  admonish  you  as  stran- 
gers and  pilgrhns^  abstain  from  fleshly  lusts  which  war 
against  the  soid,  and  lead  an  honest  life  among  the 
Gentiles^  so  that  tliey^  if  they  slander  you  as  evildoers^ 
may  see  your  good  works^  and  praise  God  lohen  it  shall 
come  to  that  day. 

St.  Peter  here  uses  a  somewhat  different  mode  of 
speech  from  St.  Paul,  who  would  not  speak  in  the  same 
manner,  as  we  shall  hear  :  for  every  Apostle  has  his 
own  way  of  speaking,  just  as  each  prophet  has  also. 
He  has  hitherto  been  firmly  laying  down  his  founda- 
tion of  the  christian  faith,  which  may  serve  as  his  text. 
Now  he  proceeds  and  teaches  how  we  should  conduct 
ourselves  toward  all  men.  This  is  the  true  method  of 
preaching,  that  faith  should  be  first  set  forth, — what  it 
does,  and  what  its  power  and  nature  are,  even  that  it 
gives  fully  to  us  everything  that  is  necessary  to  holi- 
ness and  salvation, — that  we  can  do  nothing  except  by 
faith,  and  through  this  we  have  all  which  God  ha?. 
God  has  thus  proceeded  with  us  and  given  to  us  all 
that  is  His,  and  has  Himself  become  our  own,  so  that  wo 


CHAP.  II.]  GEXERAL    OF   ST.    PETEK.  118 

have,  through  faith,  all  things  that  are  good  and  need- 
ful for  us.  What  then  are  we  to  do  ?  Are  we  to  live  in 
indolence?  It  were  far  better  that  we  should  die, 
though  we  had  all.  But  while  we  live  here  we  should 
act  in  our  neighbor's  behalf,  and  give  ourselves  to  him 
for  his  own,  as  God  hath  given  Himself  to  us.  Thus 
faith  saves  us,  Ijut  love  leads  us  to  give  to  our  neighbor 
whenever  we  have  enough  to  give.  Tliat  is,  faitli  re- 
ceives from  God  ;  love  gives  to  our  neighbor.  This 
matter  is  spoken  of  in  few  words,  yet  much  may  easily 
be  preached  thereon,  and  it  may  be  further  extended 
than  it  has  here  been  by  St.  Peter. 

This  is  now  the  sense  of  the  Apostle,  when  he  says, 
Dear  brethren,  I  admonish  you  as  strangers  and  as  pil- 
grims. Since,  then,  you  are  one  with  Christ,  form  one 
household,  and  His  goods  are  yours,  your  injury  is  His 
injury,  and  He  takes  as  His  own  all  that  you  possess ; 
therefore  you  are  to  follow  after  Him,  and  conduct 
yourselves  as  those  who  are  no  more  citizens  of  the 
world.  For  your  possessions  lie  not  upon  the  earth, 
but  in  heaven ;  and  though  you  have  already  lost  all 
temporal  good,  you  still  have  Christ,  who  is  more  than 
all  else.  The  devil  is  the  prince  of  this  world  and 
rules  it ;  his  citizens  are  the  people  of  this  world  ; 
therefore,  since  you  are  not  of  the  world,  act  as  a 
stranger  in  an  inn,  who  has  not  his  possessions  with 
him,  but  procures  food,  and  gives  his  gold  for  it.  For 
here  it  is  only  a  sojourning,  where  we  cannot  tarry,  but 


1 14  THE   FIRST   EPISTLE  [CHAP.  II. 

must  travel  further.  Therefore  we  should  use  worldly 
blessings  no  more  than  is  needful  for  health  and  appe- 
tite, and  therewith  leave  and  go  to  another  land.  We 
are  citizens  in  heaven  ;  on  earth  we  are  pilgrims  and 
guests. 

Abstain  from  flesJily  lusts  that  luar  against  the  soul. 
I  will  not  determine,  here,  whether  St.  Peter  speaks  of 
outward  impurity, — or  as  St.  Paul's  language  is,  all  that 
is  called  carual, — whatever  man  does  without  faith, 
while  he  is  in  the  body  and  a  carnal  life.  I  hold,  in- 
deed, that  St.  Peter  had  a  somewhat  different  mode  of 
speech,  yet  do  not  think  that  he  uses  the  word  soul, 
as  St.  Paul  does,  for  spirit ;  but  St.  Peter  has  given  in 
more  to  the  common  Greek  word,  tlian  St.  Paul.  Yet 
much  stress  is  not  to  be  laid  upon  tliis:  let  it  be  under- 
stood of  all  kinds  of  lusts,  or  all  kinds  of  carnal  desire 
or  impurity.  But  this  at  least  he  would  teach  us,  that 
no  saint  on  earth  can  be  fully  perfect  and  holy.  Yet 
the  high  schools  have  even  trodden  the  passage  under 
their  feet,  nor  do  they  understand  it ;  they  think  it  is 
said  only  of  sinners,  as  though  the  saints  had  no  more 
wicked  lusts  remaining.  But  whoever  will  study  care- 
fully into  the  Scriptures,  must  note  a  distinction,  be- 
cause the  prophets  sometimes  speak  of  the  saints  in 
an  obvious  Av^ay,  as  though  they  were  perfectly  holy  in 
every  respect ;  while  on  the  other  hand  they  speak  also 
of  them  as  having  evil  lusts  and  being  troubled  with 
sins. 


^HAP.  II.]  GENERAL    OF   ST.    PETER.  115 

In  regard  to  those  two  positions,  those  persons  can- 
not see  their  way.  Understand,  theD,  that  Christians 
are  divided  into  two  parts, — into  an  inward  nature 
which  is  faith,  and  an  outward  which  is  the  flesh.  If  we 
look  upon  a  Christian  as  it  respects  faith,  then  he  is 
pure  and  entirely  holy  ;  for  the  word  of  God  has  no- 
thing impure  in  it,  and  wherever  it  enters  the  heart  that 
depends  upon  it,  it  will  make  that  also  pure.  Because, 
in  respect  to  faith  all  things  are  perfect :  according  to 
that,  we  are  kings  and  priests  and  the  people  of  God, 
as  was  said  above.  But  since  faith  exists  in  the  flesh, 
and  while  we  yet  live  on  earth  we  feel  at  times  evil 
dispositions,  as  impatience  and  fear  of  death,  &c. 

These  are  all  the  fault  of  the  old  man,  for  faith  is 
not  yet  mature,  has  not  attained  full  control  over  the 
flesh. 

This  you  may  understand  from  the  parable  in  tlie 
Gospel,  Luke  x.,  of  the  man  who  went  down  from 
Jerusalem  to  Jericho  and  fell  among  thieves,  who  beat 
him  and  left  him  lying  half  dead,  whom  the  Samaritan 
.  afterward  took  up,  and  bound  up  his  wounds,  and  took 
care  of  him,  and  saw  to  it  that  he  should  be  nursed. 
There  you  perceive  that  this  man,  since  he  is  to  be 
attended  upon,  is  not  sick  unto  death, — his  life  is  safe  ; 
all  that  is  wanting  is,  that  he  should  be  restored  to 
health.  Life  is  there,  but  he  is  not  completely  re- 
stored, for  he  lies  yet  in  the  hands  of  the  pliysicians 
and  must  yet  give  himself  up  to  be  healed.     So  it  is 


116  THE    FIKST   EPISTLE  [CHAP.  II. 

with  US  as  respects  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ ;  we  are 
assured  of  Eternal  life,  yet  we  have  not  complete  health; 
something  of  the  old  Adam  still  remains  in  the  flesh. 

Similar  also  is  the  parable  in  the  xiii.  of  Matthew, 
where  Christ  says,  the  kingdom  of  heaven  is  like 
leaven  which  a  woman  takes  and  mingles  in  the  meal 
until  it  is  leavened  throughout.  When  the  meal  is  made 
into  dough,  the  leaven  is  all  in  it,  but  it  has  not  pene- 
trated and  worked  through  it,  but  the  meal  lies  work- 
ing, until  it  is  leavened  throughout,  and  no  more  leaven 
need  be  added.  Thus  though  you  have  what  you 
should  have,  through  faith,  whereby  you  apprehend 
the  word  of  God,  yet  it  has  not  penetrated  throughout, 
wherefore  it  must  continue  to  work  till  you  are  entirely 
renewed.  In  this  way  you  are  to  discriminate  in  re- 
gard to  the  Scriptures,  and  not  mangle  them  as  the 
Papists  do. 

Therefore  I  say,  when  you  read  in  Scripture  of  the 
Saints,  that  they  were  perfect,  understand  it  thus  :  that 
they  as  to  faith  were  entirely  pure  and  without  sin,  but 
the  flesh  still  remained,  that  could  not  have  been  en- . 
tirely  holy.  Therefore  Christians  desire  and  pray 
that  the  body  or  the  flesh  be  mortified,  that  it  may  be 
entirely  pure.  This  those  who  teach  otherwise  have 
neither  experienced  nor  relished,  which  leads  them  to 
speak  just  as  they  imagine  and  conceive  by  reason  ; 
wherefore  they  must  err.  In  regard  to  this,  those  great 
saints  who  have  written  and  taught  much,  have  greatly 


CHAP.  II.]  GENERAL   OF   ST.    PETER.  117 

stumbled.  Origen  has  not  a  word  of  it  in  his  books. 
Jerome  never  understood  it.  Augustine,  had  he  not 
been  driven  to  contend  with  the  Pelagians,  would  have 
understood  it  as  little.  When  they  speak  of  the  saints, 
they  extol  them  as  highly  as  if  they  were  something 
different  from,  and  better  than,  other  Christians  :  cer- 
tainly as  though  they  had  not  felt  the  power  of  the 
flesh  and  complained  thereof  as  well  as  we. 

Therefore  St.  Peter  says  here,  as  ye  would  be  pure 
and  have  complete  sanctification,  continue  to  contend 
with  your  evil  lusts.  So  also  Christ  says  in  the  Gospel 
of  Johnxiii.:  "Whoever  is  washed,  must  also  wash 
his  feet  ;"  it  is  not  enough  that  his  head  and  hands  be 
clean,  therefore  he  would  yet  have  them  wash  their 
feet. 

But  what  does  St.  Peter  mean,  in  that  he  says,  re- 
frain from  the  lusts  that  war  against  the  soul  ?  Tliis 
is  what  he  would  say  :  You  are  not  to  imagine  that 
you  can  succeed  by  sports  and  sleep.  Sin  is  indeed 
taken  away  by  faith,  but  you  liave  still  the  flesh  which  is 
impulsive  and  inconsiderate  ;  therefore  take  good  care, 
that  ye  overcome  it.  By  strong  effort  must  it  be  ;  you 
are  to  constrain  and  subdue  lust,  and  the  greater  your 
faith  is,  the  greater  will  the  conflict  be.  Therefore  you 
should  be  prepared  and  armed,  and  should  contend 
therewith  without  intermission.  For  tliey  will  assault 
you  in  multitudes,  and  would  take  you  captive. 

Hence  St.  Paul  says,  also,  Rom.  vii. :  "  I  have  a  de- 


118  THE    FIRST    EPTS'IJ.E  [ClIAF.  II. 

sire  toward  the  law  of  God  after  the  inward  man  ;  but 
I  find  another  law  in  my  members,  which  opposes  itself 
to  the  law  in  my  spirit,  and  takes  me  captive,  that  I 
cannot  do  as  I  would," — as  though  he  had  said,  I  fight 
indeed  against  it,  but  it  will  not  finally  yield.  There- 
fore I  would  gladly  be  free,  but  in  spite  of  my  wishing 
it,  it  may  not  come  to  pass.  What  then  am  I  to  do  ? 
"  Wretched  man  that  I  am,  (says  he,)  who  shall  deliver 
me  from  the  body  of  this  death."  In  this  same  man- 
ner, also,  all  the  saints  cry  out.  But  those  people  who 
are  without  faith,  the  devil  leads  in  such  a  way  that 
he  permits  them  only  to  enter  on  sinful  courses,  to  fol- 
low him  and  make  no  opposition.  But  as  to  the  others, 
he  thinks,  I  liave  already  taken  them  captive  by  un- 
belief. I  will  permit  them  then  to  go  so  far  only,  as  to 
do  no  great  sin  and  have  no  great  assault  and  be  kept 
from  swearing  and  knavery. 

But  believers  have  always  opposition  enough, — tliey 
must  ever  stand  in  the  (attitude  of)  struggle.  Tliose 
who  are  without  faith  and  have  not  the  Spirit,  do  not 
feel  this,  nor  do  they  have  such  an  experience  ;  tliey 
break  away  and  follow  their  wicked  lusts  ;  but  as  soon 
as  the  Spirit  and  faith  enter  our  hearts,  we  become  so 
weak  that  we  think  we  cannot  beat  down  the  least 
imaginations  and  sparks  (of  temptation),  and  see  notli- 
ing  but  sin  in  ourselves,  from  the  crown  of  the  head, 
even  to  the  foot.  For  before  we  believed,  we  walked  ac- 
cording to  our  own  lusts,  but  now  the  Spirit  has  come 


CHAP.  II.]  GENERAL   OF   ST.    PETER.  119 

and  would  purify  us,  and  there  arises  a  conflict.  Here 
the  devil,  the  flesh,  and  the  world,  oppose  themselves 
to  faith  ;  whereof  the  prophets  complain,  here  and 
there,  in  the  Scriptures. 

Wherefore  St.  Peter  here  means,  that  the  strife  does 
not  take  place  in  sinners,  but  in  believers,  and  gives 
us  an  cncoiu'agement,  inasmuch  as  when  we  are  on 
our  guard  against  wicked  lusts,  we  are  repelling  them. 
If  thou,  then,  hast  wicked  thoughts,  thou  shouldest  not 
on  this  account  despair  ;  only  be  on  thy  guard,  that 
thou  be  not  taken  prisoner  of  them.  Our  teachers 
have  proposed  to  relieve  the  matter  in  this  way  (by 
directing,)  that  men  should  torture  themselves  until  tliey 
had  no  more  evil  thoughts,  that  they  might  be  at  last 
bold  and  free.  But  you  are  to  understand,  if  you  arc 
a  Christian,  that  you  must  experience  all  kinds  of 
opposition  and  wicked  dispositions  in  the  flesh.  For 
wherever  there  is  faith,  there  come  a  hundred  evil 
thoughts,  a  hundred  strugglings  more  than  before  ; 
only  see  to  it  that  you  act  the  man,  and  not  sufi'er 
yourself  to  be  taken  captive  ;  and  continue  to  resist, 
and  say,  I  will  not,  I  will  not.  For  we  must  here  con- 
fess, that  the  case  is  much  like  that  of  an  ill-matched 
couple,  who  are  continually  complaining  of  one  another, 
and  what  one  will  do  the  other  will  not. 

That  may  yet  be  called  a  truly  christian  life  that  is 
never  at  perfect  rest,  and  has  not  so  far  attained  as  to 
feel  no  sin,  provided  that  sin  be  felt,  indeed,  but  not 


120  THE    FIRST   EPISTLE  [CHAP.  II. 

favored.  Thus  we  are  to  fast,  pray,  labor,  to  subdue 
and  suppress  lust.  [So  that  you  are  not  to  imagine 
that  you  are  to  become  such  a  saint  as  these  fools 
speak  of.^  While  flesh  and  blood  continue,  so  long  siu 
remains  ;  wherefore  it  is  ever  to  be  struggled  against. 
Whoever  has  not  learned  this  by  his  own  experience, 
must  not  boast  that  he  is  a  Christian. , . 

Hitherto  we  have  been  taught,  tha1i  when  we  made 
confession,  or  joined  ourselves  to  some  spiritual  institu- 
tion, we  were  at  once  pure  and  needed  no  longer  to 
contend  with  sin.  They  have  said,  moreover,  that 
baptism  purifies  and  makes  holy,  so  that  nothing  evil 
remains  in  the  person.  Then  they  have  thought,  "  now 
will  I  have  a  pleasing  rest,"  but  the  devil  has  come 
and  assaulted  them  worse  than  before.  Therefore  un- 
derstand the  thing  well,  though  you  confess  and  permit 
yourselves  to  receive  absolution,  you  must  do  even  as 
the  soldier,  who  in  battle  runs  upon  the  points  (of  the 
javelins)  ;  whenever  the  critical  moment  approaches, 
and  the  conflict  rages,  compelling  him  to  strike  right 
bravely,  as  if  to  repel  outrage,  then  he  must  draw  out  liis 
sword  and  lay  about  him  ;  but  while  the  strife  tlireatens 
only,  so  long  must  there  be  untiring  vigilance.  So, 
although  you  have  been  baptized,  be  on  your  guard, 
inasmuch  as  you  are  not  safe  for  an  hour  from  the 
devil  and  from  sin,  even  though  you  think  you  will 
have  no  more  assaults. 

Therefore  a  christian  life  is  nothino-  else  but  a  con- 


CHAP.  11.]  GENERAL    OF   ST.    PETER.  121 

flict  and  encampment,  as  the  Scripture  says  ;  and  there- 
fore the  Lord  our  God  is  called  the  Lord  of  Sabaoth, — 
that  is,  a  Lord  over  the  hosts.  So  also,  Dominus potens 
in  prcelio — the  Lord  mighty  in  battle. 

And  thereby  He  shows  how  powerful  He  is,  that  He 
permits  His  people  to  be  exposed  in  the  conflict  and 
rush  upon  the  points  (of  the  javelins).  Yet  so  that  while 
the  trumpets  are  ever  sounding  He  is  ever  observant, 
(saying)  beware  where,  beware  there ;  thrust  here,  strike 
there.  Besides,  it  is  a  lasting  conflict,  in  which  you  are 
to  do  all  that  you  can,  so  that  you  may  strike  down 
the  devil  by  the  word  of  God.  We  must  therefore 
ever  make  resistance,  and  call  on  God  for  help,  and 
despond  of  all  human  powers. — Now  follows  further  : 

V.  12.  And  lead  an  honest  life^  that  those  loho  have 
slandered  you,  as  evil-doers^  may  see  your  good  works  and 
praise  God,  Mark  now  what  an  excellent  order  St. 
Peter  has  observed.  He  has  already  taught  us  what  we 
should  do  in  order  to  subdue  the  flesh  with  all  its  lusts. 
Now  he  teaches  us  again  why  this  should  be.  Why 
should  I  subdue  my  flesh  ?  that  I  may  be  saved  ?  No, 
but  that  I  may  lead  an  honest  life  before  the  world. 
For  this  honest  life  does  not  justify  us,  but  we  must 
tirst  be  justified  and  believe  before  we  attempt  to  lead 
an  honest  (pious)  life.  But  as  to  outward  conduct, 
this  I  am  not  to  direct  to  my  own  profit,  but  that  the 
unbelieving  may  thereby  be  reformed  and  attracted, 
6 


122  THE   FIRST   EPISTLE  [CHAP.  II. 

that  they  through  us  may  come  to  Christ ;  which  is  a 
true  mark  of  love,  though  they  slander  and  asperse  us, 
and  hold  us  as  the  worst  wretches.  Therefore  we 
should  exhibit  such  an  excellent  course  of  action,  that 
men  shall  be  compelled  to  say.  Certainly  they  cannot 
be  blamed. 

We  read  that  when  the  emperors  reigned,  and  per- 
secuted the  Christians,  no  fault  could  be  found  with 
the  latter,  except  that  they  called  on  Christ  and  con- 
sidered Him  as  God.  So  Pliny  writes  in  his  letter  to 
Trajan,  the  Emperor,  that  he  knew  of  no  wrong  that 
the  Christians  did,  except  that  they  came  together 
every  morning,  early,  and  sang  songs  of  praise  in  order 
that  they  might  honor  their  Christ  and  receive  the 
sacrament ;  besides  this,  none  could  bring  any  charge 
against  them.  Therefore  St.  Peter  says  :  Ye  must 
endure  to  have  men  asperse  you  as  evil-doers,  and  for 
this  reason  you  are  to  lead  such  a  life  that  you  shall 
do  no  man  injury,  and  in  this  manner  you  shall  bring 
about  their  reformation.  Till  that  day  arrive ;  that  i.^, 
ye  must  endure  it  as  long  as  men  reproach  you,  till  all 
shall  be  set  forth  and  revealed,  so  that  it  shall  be  seen 
how  unjust  they  have  been  toward  you,  and  that  they 
must  glorify  God  on  your  account.  So  St.  Peter 
continues : 

V.  13-17.  Submit  yourself  to  every  ordinance  of  man 
for  the  Lord''s  sdke^  ichether  to  the  Mug  as  supretne,  or 
to  gover?iors,  as  those  that  are  sent  by  Him  for  the  pun- 


123 


CHAP.  II.]  GENERAL   OF   ST.    PETER. 

ishme^it  of  eml-doers  and  to  the  praise  of  those  that  do 
well.  For  this  is  the  will  of  God,  that  by  well-doing  ye 
may  silence  the  ignorance  of  foolish  men.  As  free,  and 
not  as  though  ye  had  your  freedom  as  a  cover  of  wicked- 
ness, hut  as  the  servants  of  God.  Be  respectful  toxoard 
every  man.  Love  the  brotherhood;  fear  God;  honor 
the  king. 

In  such  a  beautiful  order  does  St.  Peter  proceed, 
and  teaches  us  how  we  should  conduct  ourselves  in  all 
things.  Hitherto  he  has  spoken  in  a  general  manner 
of  the  conduct  that  belongs  to  every  condition.  Now 
he  begins  to  teach  how  we  should  act  toward  civil 
magistracy.  For  since  he  had  said  enough  as  to  the 
first  matter,  of  our  duty  to  God  and  ourselves,  he  now 
adds  how  we  are  to  conduct  toward  all  men. 

And  now  he  would  say,  in  the  iirst  place,  and  before 
all  else,  since  ye  have  done  all  that  was  necessary  that 
yc  might  attain  to  a  true  faith  and  hold  your  body  in 
siibjcrtion,  let  this  now  be  your  first  business,  to  obey 
the  magistracy. 

This,  which  I  have  here  rendered  in  the  Dutch, 
every  ordinance  of  man,  is  in  the  Greek  Krimc,  and  in 
Latin  creatura.  This  thing  has  not  been  understood 
by  our  learned  men.  The  Dutch  language  well  ex- 
presses what  the  word  means,  where  it  is  said,  we  are 
to  obey  what  tlie  ruler  enacts  (creates).  So  he  uses 
the  word  here  as  though  he  said,  what  the  magistracy 
enacts  (creates)  yield  obedience  to.  For  to  enact 
(create)  is  to  lay  down  a  command  and  ordinance  ;  it 


124  THE   FIRST   EPISTLE  [CHAP.  II. 

is  a  human  creation.  But  they  have  hence  inferred 
that  creatura  means  an  ox  or  an  ass,  as  the  Pope  also 
speaks  of  it.  If  this  were  Peter's  meaning,  then  we 
should  need  to  become  subject  even  to  a  slave.  But 
he  here  means  a  human  ordinance,  law  or  command, — 
and  what  they  enact  we  are  to  do. 

What  God  makes,  authorizes,  and  requires, — that  is 
His  ordinance,  as  that  we  should  believe.J^o,  also, 
that  is  a  human  and  secular  creation  which  is  consti- 
tuted by  commands,  as  external  government  must  be. 
To  this  we  are  to  be  subject.  Therefore  understand 
the  expression  as  meaning,  creatura  hiimana,  quod  creed 
et  condit  homo  (what  man  makes  and  constructs). 

For  the  Lord^s  sake.  We  are  not  bound  to  obedience 
to  the  sovereign  power  for  its  own  sake,  he  says,  but 
for  God's  sake,  whose  children  we  are  ;  and  we  should 
be  drawn  to  this,  not  that  we  may  thereby  acquire  a 
merit, — for  what  I  do  for  God's  sake,  I  must  freely  do 
as  an  act  of  service  :  moreover,  I  would  do  from  mere 
cheerfulness,  what  His  heart  desires.  But  why  should 
we  be  obedient  to  the  magistracy  for  God's  sake  ? 
Because  it  is  God's  will  that  evil-doers  should  be 
punished,  and  those  that  do  well  should  be  protected, 
that  there  may  be  concord  in  the  world.  So  we  should 
demand  that  there  be  civil  peace,  which  God  requires  ; 
but  the  majority  are  unbelieving,  so  that  He  has 
enacted  and  ordained,  in  order  that  the  world  miorht 


CHAP.  II.]  GENERAL    OF   ST.    PETER.  125 

not  go  to  anarchy,  that  the  magistracy  should  bear  the 
sword  and  restrain  the  wicked,  in  order  that  if  they 
are  not  disposed  to  be  at  peace,  they  may  be  compelled 
to  it.  This  He  executes  through  the  magistracy,  so  that 
the  world  may  be  ruled  to  the  good  of  all.  Whence 
you  see  that  if  there  were  none  wicked,  there  would  be 
no  need  of  magistracy  ;  wherefore  lie  says,  to  the 
punishment  of  evil-doers,  arid  to  the  praise  of  those  that 
do  ivell.  The  just  should  have  the  honor  of  it  when 
they  do  right,  since  they  exalt  and  crown  worldly 
magistracy,  insomuch  that  others  may  take  example 
from  them, — not  that  any  one  may  thereby  merit  any 
thing  before  God.  Such  is  Paul's  language,  also,  in 
Rom.  xiii. :  "  The  power  is  not  established  to  the  fear 
of  those  that  do  well,  but  for  the  evil ;  therefore,  if 
thou  wouldst  not  be  afraid  of  the  power,  do  well." 

Y.  15.  For  this  is  the  ivill  of  God,  that  hy  ivell-doing 
ye  shoidd  silence  the  ignorance  of  foolish  men.  In  these 
words  St.  Peter  silences  those  vain  babblers  who  glory 
in  their  christian  name,  and  prevents  them  from 
coming  forward  and  saying,  Since  faith  is  sufficient  for 
a  Christian,  and  works  do  not  justify,  what  is  then  the 
necessity  of  being  subject  to  the  civil  power,  and  pay- 
ing tribute  and  taxes  ?  And  he  tells  them  thus,  that 
although  we  have  no  need  of  it,  we  ought  readily  to  do 
it  to  please  God,  so  that  the  mouth  of  those  enemies 
of  God  who  asperse  us  may  be  stopped,  and  they  be 


126  THE   FIRST   EPISTLE  [CHAP.  IT. 

able  to  bring  up  nothing  against  us,  and  be  compelled 
to  say  that  we  are  honest,  obedient  people.  So  we 
read  of  many  saints,  that  they  were  summoned  to  war, 
under  heathen  rulers,  and  slew  the  enemy,  yet  were 
subject  and  obedient  (to  those  that  summoned  them), 
as  we  Christians  are  bound  to  be  to  the  magistracies, 
although  it  is  now  maintained  that  we  could  not  be 
Christians  if  we  lived  among  the  Turks. 

Now  you  may  perhaps  say  here.  But  still  Christ  has 
commanded  that  we  should  not  resist  evil,  but  if  any 
one  strike  us  on  one  cheek  we  are  to  turn  the  other 
also  ;  how,  then,  can  we  strike  and  execute  others  ? 
Answer  :  the  heathen  formerly  objected  in  like  manner 
to  the  Christians,  and  said,  if  such  and  such  should 
come  to  pass,  your  government  must  be  suppressed. 
But  we  reply,  it  is  true  that  Christians  for  themselves 
should  not  resist  the  evil,  neither  should  they  revenge 
themselves  when  they  are  injured,  but  endure  injustice 
and  violence,  so  that  they  cannot  be  severe  even  toward 
those  who  do  not  believe.  But  the  magistracy  of  the 
sword  is  not  thereby  forbidden  ;  for  although  honest 
Christians  have  no  need  of  the  sword  and  law  (since 
they  live  so  that  none  can  complain  of  them,  do  no 
man  wrong,  but  treat  every  one  kindly  and  cheerfully, 
endure  all  that  is  done  to  them),  yet  the  sword  must  be 
borne  on  account  of  the  unchristian,  that  these,  wlien 
they  injure  others,  may  be  punished,  so  that  the  general 
peace  sliall  be  preserved  and  the  just  be  protected. 


CHAP.  II.]  GP]NERAL    OF   ST.    PETER.  127 

Thus  God  has  provided  another  rule,  that  they  who 
would  not  of  themselves  be  restrained  from  evil,  might 
be  so  compelled  by  the  power  that  they  should  do  no 
injury.  Therefop^  God  has  established  magistracy 
for  the  sake  of  the  unbelieving,  insomuch  that  even 
Mghristian  men  might  exercise  the  power  of  the  sword, 
and  come  under  obligation  thereby  to  serve  their  neigh- 
bor and  restrain  the  bad,  so  that  the  good  might  remain 
in  peace  among  them.  And  still  the  command  of 
Christ  abides  in  force,  that  we  are  not  to  resist  evil. 
So  that  a  Christian,  although  he  bears  tlie  sword,  does 
not  use  it  for  his  own  sake  nor  to  revenge  himself,  but 
only  for  others  ;  and,  moreover,  this  is  a  mark  of 
Christian  love,  that  with  the  sword  we  support  and 
defend  the  whole  Church,  and  not  suffer  it  to  be 
injured.  Christ  teaches  those  only  who,  while  they 
believe  and  love,  obey  also.  But  the  greater  multitude 
in  the  world,  as  it  does  not  believe,  obeys  not  the 
command.  Therefore  they  must  be  ruled  as  unchris- 
tian, and  their  caprice  be  put  under  restraint ;  for  if 
their  power  was  suffered  to  obtain  the  upper  hand,  no 
one  could  stand  before  them. 

Thus  there  are  two  kinds  of  government  in  the  world, 
as  there  are  also  two  kinds  of  people, — namely,  believers 
and  unbelievers.  Christians  yield  themselves  to  the 
control  of  God's  word  ;  they  have  no  need  of  civil 
government  for  their  own  sake.  But  the  unchristian 
portion  require   another  government,  even  the  civil 


128  THE    FIRST   EPISTLE  [CHAP.  IT 

sword,  since  they  will  not  be  controlled  by  the  word 
of  God.  Yet  if  all  were  Christians  and  followed  the 
Gospel,  there  would  be  no  more  necessity  or  use  for 
the  civil  sword  and  the  exercising  of  authority  ;  for 
if  there  were  no  evil-doers  there  certainly  could  be  no 
punishment.  But  since  it  is  not  to  be  expected  that 
all  of  us  should  be  righteous,  Christ  has  ordained 
magistracy  for  the  wicked,  that  they  may  rule  as  they 
must  be  ruled.  But  the  righteous  He  keeps  for  Him- 
self, and  rules  them  by  His  mere  wordy; 

Therefore  christian  government  is 'not  opposed  to 
the  civil,  nor  is  civil  magistracy  opposed  to  Christ. 
Civil  government  does  not  cease  by  Christ's  ministry  ; 
but  it  is  an  outward  thing,  like  all  other  offices  and 
institutions.  And  as  these  exist  distinct  from  Christ's 
office,  so  that  an  unbeliever  may  exercise  them  just  as 
well  as  a  Christian,  so  it  is  also  with  the  exercise  of 
the  civil  sword,  since  it  neither  makes  men  Christian 
or  unchristian.  But  of  this  I  have  spoken  often  enough 
elsewhere. — It  follows,  further  : 

V.  16.  As  free,  and  not  as  though  ye  had  your  free- 
dom as  a  cover  for  ivichedness,  hut  as  the  servants  of 
God.  This  is  said  especially  for  us,  who  have  heard 
of  christian  freedom,  that  we  may  not  go  on  and  abuse 
this  freedom  ;  that  is  to  say,  under  the  name  and  show 
of  christian  freedom  do  all  that  we  lust  after,  so  that 
from  this  freedom  shall  spring  up  a  shamelessness  and 


CHAP.  II.]  GENERAL   OF   ST.    PETER.  129 

carnal  recklessness,  as  we  see  even  now  takes  place, 
and  had  begun  even  in  the  Apostle's  times,  as  is  easily 
discovered  from* the  epistles  of  St.  Peter  and  St.  Paul, 
when  men  did  what  the  great  multitude  do  now.  We 
have  now,  again,  through  the  grace  of  God,  come  to 
the  knowledge  of  the  truth,  and  we  know  that  that  is 
mere  deception  which  popes,  bishops,  priests  and  monks 
have  hitherto  taught,  laid  down  and  enforced  ;  and  our 
conscience  is  enlightened  and  has  become  free  from 
human  ordinances  and  from  all  the  control  which  they 
have  had  over  us,  so  that  we  are  no  longer  obliged  to 
do  what  they  have  commanded  under  peril  of  our  sal- 
vation. To  this  freedom  we  must  now  hold  fast,  and 
never  suffer  ourselves  to  be  robbed  of  it  ;  but  for  this 
very  reason  we  should  be  carefully  on  our  guard  not 
to  make  this  freedom  a  cloak  of  our  shame. 

The  Pope  has  here  proceeded  unrighteously  in  aiming 
to  force  and  oppress  men  by  his  laws.  For  among  a 
christian  people  there  should  and  can  be  no  compul- 
sion, and  if  the  attempt  is  made  to  bind  the  conscience 
by  outward  laws,  faith  and  the  christian  life  are  soon 
suppressed  ;  for  Christ's  are  only  to  be  led  and  ruled 
in  the  spirit,  since  they  know  that  they,  through  faitli, 
already  have  all  whereby  they  are  to  be  saved,  and 
stand  in  need  of  nothing  more  to  this  end,  and  hence- 
forth are  under  obligation  to  do  nothing  more  than 
good  to  their  neighbor,  helping  him  with  all  they  have, 
as  Christ  has  helped  them,  and  moreover  that  all  \\\e 


130  THE   FIRST  EPISTLE  [CHAP.  II. 

works  which  they  do  should  be  done  freely  and  without 
constraint,  and  flow  forth  from  willing  and  happy 
hearts  ;  this  is  grateful  to  God,  exalts  and  praises  Him 
for  the  blessings  that  have  been  received.  So  St.  Paul 
writes  (I.  Tim.  i.).  That  for  the  righteous  no  law  is 
made,  for  they  do  freely  of  themselves,  and  unsum- 
moned,  all  that  God  requires. 

Since  now  such  enforcement  of  human  doctrines  is 
rejected  and  christian  freedom  is  preached,  the  reck- 
less spirits  that  are  without  faith  coincide  with  it,  and 
thereby  would  become  good  Christians,  inasmuch  as 
they  keep  not  the  law  of  the  Pope,  claiming  this  free- 
dom which  relieves  them  from  obligation  to  it ;  and  yet 
they  observe  not  that  which  true  christian  freedom  re- 
quires,— namely,  to  do  good  to  their  neighbor  with 
cheerfulness,  and  irrespective  of  its  being  commanded, 
as  real  Christians  do.  Thus  they  make  christian  free- 
dom just  a  cloak,  under  which  they  work  only  their 
shame,  and  disgrace  the  noble  name  and  title  of  that 
freedom  which  Christians  have. 

This  St.  Peter  here  forbids,  for  this  is  what  he  would 
say  :  although  ye  are  free  in  all  external  matters  (if  ye 
are  Christians),  and  should  not  be  forced  by  laws  to 
subject  yourselves  to  the  control  of  worldly  rule,  since 
for  the  righteous  no  law  is  given  (as  we  have  said), 
yet  ye  should  do  it  of  yourselves,  voluntarily  and  with- 
out compulsion, — not  that  ye  must  be  held  in  obedience 
by  necessity,  but  in  order  to  please  God,  and  for  tlio  ad- 


CHAP.  II.]  GENEEAL   OF   ST.    PETER.  131 

vantage  of  your  neighbor.  This  also  Christ  did  Him- 
self, as  we  read  in  Matt,  xvii.,  that  he  paid  tribute 
when  he  need  not  have  done  it,  but  was  free,  and  Lord 
over  all  things.  So  likewise  he  subjected  Himself  to 
Pilate  and  permitted  Himself  to  be  judged,  while  as  yet 
He  said  to  him,  "  You  could  have  had  no  power  or  au- 
thority over  me  except  it  had  been  given  you  from 
above,"  in  which  words  He  gave  confirmation  to  the 
authority  to  which  He  meanwhile  subjected  Himself, 
that  He  might  please  His  Father. 

Whence  you  see  that  that  multitude  lias  no  claim  to 
christian  freedom  who  will  do  nothing,  neither  what 
the  world  nor  what  God  requires,  but  abide  in  their 
insubordinate  disposition,  although  they  make  their 
boast  of  the  Gospel. 

Though  we  be  free  from  all  laws,  we  must  yet  have 
respect  to  weak  and  ignorant  Christians,  since  this  is  a 
w^ork  of  love.  Hence  Paul  says,  Rom.  xiii.  :  "  Owe  no 
man  anything,  but  to  love  one  another."  Therefore  let 
him  who  would  glory  in  his  freedom,  do  first  what  a 
Christian  should  do  :  let  him  first  do  good  to  his  neigh- 
bor, and  thereafter  make  use  of  his  freedom  in  such  a 
way  as  this.  When  the  Pope,  or  even  any  one,  imposes 
his  authority  upon  him,  and  would  force  liim  to  obey  it, 
let  him  say,  "  My  good  fellow.  Pope,  I  will  not  do  it, 
for  this  reason,  because  you  choose  to  make  a  command 
of  it,  and  invade  my  freedom."*     For  we  are  to  live  in 

*  In  the  views  presented  by  Tjuther.  in  this  oonnection,  we  haye  f\ 


132  THE    FIRST   EPISTLE  [CHAP.  II. 

freedom  as  the  servants  of  God,  (so  St.  Peter  here  says,) 
not  as  servants  of  man.  Yet  in  case  any  one  desires 
that  of  me  in  which  I  can  be  of  service  to  him,  I  will 
cheerfully  do  it  out  of  good  will,  not  scrupulous  whether 
it  have  been  commanded  or  not,  but  for  the  sake  of 
brotherly  love,  and  because  God  also  requires  that  I 
should  do  good  to  my  neighbor.  Thus  I  will  not  be 
forced  to  become  subject  to  worldly  princes  and  lords, 
but  what  I  do  I  will  do  of  my  own  self, — not  because 
they  command  me,  but  for  service  to  my  neighbor.  Of 
this  kind  should  all  our  works  be,  springing  forth  from 
affection  and  love,  and  all  having  respect  to  our  neigli- 
bor,  since  we  have  no  need  on  our  own  account  to  do 
good  works.     It  further  follows  : 

V.  17.  Be  respectful  toivard  every  man.  This  is 
not  a  command,  but  a  faithful  admonition.  We  are 
each  of  us  assuredly  under  obligation,  although  we  are 
free  ;  for  this  freedom  does  not  extend  to  evil-doing, 


distinct  enunciation  of  the  noble  principles  of  the  Xon-conformists  of 
England— principles  which  were  familiar  to  the  great  Reformers  and 
to  the  early  Puritans.  They  could  not  admit  any  human  authority  to 
invade  the  domain  of  divine  legislation.  To  a  conformity  in  externals 
vrhich  did  not  require  them  to  admit  the  right  of  the  civil  magistracy 
to  enact  laws  for  the  church,  they  were  willing  to  yield  as  far  as  was 
necessary  to  edification.  But  when  the  command  issued  from  the  ruling 
power,  in  usurpation  of  the  prerogative  of  the  great  and  only  head  of 
the  church,  and  obedience  was  to  be  construed  as  acquiescence  in  such 
usurpation,  their  reply  was  kindred  in  tone  and  spirit  to  that  which 
Luther  here  puts  into  the  lips  of  a  christian  man  in  answer  to  Papal 
arrogance. 


CHAP.  II.]  GENERAL   OF   ST.    PETER.  133 

but  merely  to  well-doing.  Now  we  have  repeatedly 
said,  that  every  Christian,  through  faith,  attains  to  all 
that  Christ  has  Himself,  and  is,  moreover,  His  brother. 
Therefore,  as  I  give  all  honor  to  the  Lord  Christ,  so 
also  should  I  do  toward  my  neighbor.  This  consists, 
not  merely  in  outward  behavior,  that  I  should  bow  to 
him,  and  things  of  that  sort,  but  much  more :  that 
inwardly  in  my  heart  I  should  highly  regard  him,  as 
I  also  highly  regard  Christ.  We  are  the  temple  of 
God  ;  as  St.  Paul  says,  I.  Cor.  iii.,  for  the  spirit  of 
God  dwelleth  in  us.  If  now  we  bend  the  knee  before 
a  place  of  worship,  or  a  picture  of  the  holy  cross, 
should  we  not  do  it  far  more  before  a  living  temple  of 
God?-^ 

So  St.  Paul  teaches  us,  also,  in  Romans  xii.,  that  each 
should  esteem  the  other  better  than  himself,  so  that  each 
should  place  himself  below  the  other,  and  give  him  tlie 
preference.  The  gifts  of  God  are  manifold  and  various, 
so  that  one  is  in  a  more  exalted  position  than  another  ; 
but  no  one  knows  who  is  most  exalted  in  the  sight  of 
God,  for  he  may  easily  raise  hereafter  to  the  highest 
place  one  wlio  here  occupies  the  meanest  position. 
Therefore  should  every  one,  however  high  he  be  ex- 
alted, humble  himself  and  honor  his  neighbor. 

*  One  is  reminded  here  of  the  noble  reply  of  that  English  martyr, 
John  Bradford,  when  he  was  required  to  bow  down  to  a  wooden  cross. 
Stretching  out  his  arms,  as  he  stood  before  his  tyrannical  judges,  he 
exclauned,  "Why,  here  is  a  living  cross,  and  God  made  it;  yet  would  I 
not  worship  even  that.'' 


^^^  THE   FIRST   EPISTLE  [CHAP.  II. 

V.  17.  Love  the  brotherhood.  I  have  spoken  above 
of  the  distinction  which  the  Apostles  make  between 
love  in  general,  and  brotherly  love.  We  are  required 
even  to  love  our  enemies  :  this  is  common  christian 
love.  But  brotherly  love  is,  that  we  Christians  should 
love  one  another  as  brethren,  and  communicate  one  to 
another,  since  we  all  alike  have  our  blessings  from  God. 
This  is  the  love  whicli  St.  Peter  here  particularly 
requires. 

Fear  God  ;  honor  the  King.     He  says  not  that  we  are 
to  have  great  regard  of  lords  and  kings,  but  still  that 
we  are  to  honor  them,  although  they  are  lieathen,  as 
Christ  also  did,  and  tliose  prophets  who  fell  at  the  feet 
of  the  King  of  Babylon.     But  here  perhaps  you  will 
say,  "  hence,  you  perceive,  that  we  are  to  be  obedient 
to  the  Pope  and  are  to  fall  at  his  feet."    Answer  :  Cer- 
tainly, if  the  Pope  attains  to  tempoi'al  power  and  con- 
ducts himself  like  another  sovereign,  we  are  to   be 
obedient  even  to  him,  as  when  he  speaks  after  this 
manner  :  "I  forbid  you  wearing  the  cowl  or  tonsure  : 
besides,  on  this  day  you  are  to  fast,  not  that  it  is  of  any 
avail  before  God,  nor  is  necessary  to  salvation,  but 
because  I,  as  a  temporal  ruler,  require  it."-     But  in  case 
he  goes  further,  and  says,  '*  This,  in  God's  place,  I  forbid 
your  doing— this  you  are  also  to  receive  as  though  it 
came  from  God  Himself,  and  are  to  observe  it  under 
pain  of  excommunication  and  deadly  sin,"  then  you  are 
to  say,  "  Pardon,  my  master,  I  will  not  do  it." 


CHAP.  II.]  GENERAL   OF   ST.    PETER.  136 

To  the  power  we  are  to  be  subject,  and  are  to  do 
what  it  bids,  while  it  does  not  bind  the  conscience  and 
only  forbids  in  respect  to  outward  things,  even  though 
it  should  proceed  tyrannically  towards  us  ;  for  "  if  any 
one  will  take  away  thy  coat,  let  him  take  thy  cloak 
also."  But  if  it  invade  the  spiritual  domain  and  con- 
strain the  conscience,  over  which  God  only  must  preside 
and  rule,  we  certainly  should  not  obey  it,  but  rather 
even  slip  our  neck  out  from  under  it. 

Temporal  autliority  and  government  extend  no  fur- 
ther than  to  matters  which  are  external  and  respect 
the  body.  But  the  Pope  not  only  arrogates  this  to 
himself,  but  would  seize  upon  the  spiritual  also  ;  and 
yet  he  has  nothing  of  it,  for  his  commands  have  respect 
to  nothing  but  clothing,  food,  canonries  and  prebends — 
a  matter  which  belongs  neither  to  civil  nor  spiritual 
control.  For  how  is  the  world  benefitted  by  these 
things  ?  Besides,  it  is  impious  to  make  sins  and  good 
works  to  consist  in  such  matters,  where  they  do  not 
belong  ;  wherefore  Christ  cannot  suffer  it.  But  civil 
government  he  can  well  tolerate,  since  it  does  not  en- 
cumber itself  with  the  matters  of  sins  and  good  works, 
and  spiritual  concerns,  but  has  to  do  with^other  things, 
— as  protecting  and  fortifying  cities,  building  bridges, 
imposing  taxes,  gathering  tribute,  extending  protection, 
guarding  the  land  and  the  people,  and  punishing  the 
evil-doers.  Therefore,  to  such  a  prince,  while  he  im- 
poses no  ordinance  upon  the  conscience,  a  Christian 


136  THE    FIRST   EPISTLE  [CHAP.  II. 

may  readily  render  obedience,  and  he  does  it  uncon- 
strainedly,  since  he  is  free  of  all  things. 

Therefore,  whenever  an  emperor  or  a  prince  asks  me 
what  my  faith  is,  I  shall  tell  him,  not  because  he  com- 
mands it,  but  because  I  am  under  obligation  to  confess 
my  faith  publicly  before  every  man.  But  in  case  he 
should  go  further,  and  command  me  that  I  should  be- 
lieve thus  or  so,  then  I  shall  tell  him  :  "  My  good  sir, 
do  you  attend  to  your  civil  government ;  you  have  no 
authority  to  intrude  on  God's  domain,  wherefore  I  cer- 
tainly shall  not  obey  you.  You  cannot  yourself  toler- 
ate invasion  into  your  sovereignty  :  if  any  one  against 
your  will  passes  the  limits,  you  shoot  him  down  with 
musketry.  Do  you  imagine  then  that  God  will  tolerate 
it,  that  you  should  thrust  Him  from  His  throne  and  seat 
yourself  in  His  place  ?"  St.  Peter  calls  civil  magistracy 
only  a  human  ordinance.  So  that  they  (the  magistracy) 
have  no  power  to  step  into  God's  ordinances  and  to 
make  laws  against  faith.  But  of  this  we  have  said 
enough.     It  follows  now,  further,  in  the  Epistle  : 

V.  18-20. — Servants^  be  subject  to  your  masters  with 
all  fear  ^  not  only  to  the  good  and  gentle^  but  also  to  the 
froioard.  For  this  is  thanhv^orthy^  ichen  any  one^  for 
conscAence  toward  God^  endures  grief  suffering  wrong- 
fully. For  what  praise  is  it,  if  ye  e7idure  buffeting  for 
your  faults  f  But  if  ye  for  well-doing  siffer  and  endure^ 
this  is  wiell-pleasing  loith  God. 

St.  Peter  has  thus  far  taught  us  how  we  should  be 


CHAP.  II.]  GENP:KAL    of   ST.    PETER.  137 

subject  to  the  civil  power,  and  give  it  honor.  Where- 
fore we  have  stated  how  far  its  authority  extends, 
that  it  may  not  arrogate  to  itself  in  matters  which  per- 
tain to  faith.  This  is  said  of  magistracy  in  general, 
and  is  a  doctrine  for  every  one  (to  receive).  But  now 
he  proceeds,  and  speaks  of  such  power  as  does  not  ex- 
tend itself  over  a  community,  but  only  over  individuals. 
Here  he  first  teaches  how  domestic  servants  should 
conduct  themselves  toward  their  masters,  and  this  is 
the  substance  of  it : 

Household  servants  are  just  as  really  Christians  as 
any  other  class,  if,  like  others,  they  have  the  word, 
faith,  baptism,  and  all  such  blessings  ;  so  that,  before 
God,  they  are  just  as  great  and  higli  as  others.  But, 
as  to  their  outward  state  and  before  the  world,  there 
is  a  difference,  since  they  occupy  a  lower  station,  and 
must  serve  others.  Wherefore,  since  they  are  called 
into  this  state  by  God,  they  should  let  it  be  their 
business  to  be  subject  to  their  masters,  and  have  respect 
and  esteem  for  them.  Of  this  the  i)rophet  David  gives 
a  fine  illustration,  and  shows  how  they  are  to  serve, 
Ps.  cxxiii. :  "  As  the  eyes  of  the  servant  to  the  hand  of 
his  master,  and  as  the  maiden  looks  to  the  hand  of  her 
mistress,  so  are  our  eyes  directed  to  Thee." — That  is. 
servants  and  maidens  should  perform  with  humility 
and  care  what  the  master  or  the  mistress  requires. 
This  is  the  will  of  God,  and  therefore  it  should  cheer- 
fully be  done.    Of  this  you  may  be  certain  and  assured, 


138  THE    FIRST   EPISTLE  [CHAP.  II. 

that  it  pleases  God  and  is  acceptable  to  Him,  when 
you  do  this  in  faith.  Wherefore,  since  these  are  the 
best  works  which  you  can  do,  you  are  not  to  run  far 
after  others.  What  your  master  or  mistress  commands 
you,  that  God  Himself  has  commanded  you.  It  is  not 
a  human  command,  although  it  is  made  by  man.  So 
that  you  are  not  to  scruple  as  to  the  master  you  have, 
be  he  good  or  bad,  kind,  or  irritable  and  froward  ;  but 
think  thus,  let  the  master  be  as  he  will,  I  will  serve 
him,  and  do  it  to  honor  God,  since  He  requires  it  of 
me,  and  since  my  Master,  Christ,  became  a  servant  for 
my  sake. 

This  is  the  true  doctrine  which  is  ever  to  be  ur^ed, 
which  now,  alas  !  is  buried  in  silence  and  is  lost.  But 
no  one  regards  it  except  those  who  are  Christians,  for 
the  Gospel  preaches  only  to  those  who  receive  it. 
Wherefore,  if  you  will  be  a  child  of  God,  purpose  in 
your  heart  to  render  such  service  as  Christ  Himself 
bids  you.  As  also  St.  Paul  teaches,  in  Eph.  vi.,  "Ye 
servants,  be  obedient  to  your  masters  that  are  upon 
earth,  as  to  the  Lord  Christ ;  not  with  eye-service  only, 
as  men-pleasers,  but  as  servants  of  Christ ;  that  ye 
obey  from  the  heart,  for  God's  sake,  with  cheerfulness." 
Consider  that  ye  serve  the  Lord,  and  not  man.  So, 
also,  he  says,  in  Col.  iii.,  "For  ye  serve  the  Lord 
Christ."  Ah !  if  the  popes,  monks  and  nuns  were  in 
such  a  state  as  this,  how  would  they  thank  God  and 
rejoice!     For  none  of  them  can  say,  God  has  com- 


CHAP.  II.]  GENERAL   OF   ST.    PETER.  139 

manded  me  to  celebrate  mass,  sing  matins,  pray  the 
seven  times,  and  the  like, — for  Scripture  does  not  con- 
tain a  word  on  the  subject ;  so  that  if  they  are  asked 
whether  they  are  confident  and  assured  that  their  state 
pleases  God,  then  they  say,  No!  But  if  you  ask  a 
little  maid-servant  why  she  scours  the  key  or  milks  the 
cow,  she  can  say,  I  know  that  the  thing  I  do  pleases 
God,  for  I  have  God's  word  and  commandment.  This 
is  a  great  blessing,  and  a  precious  treasure  of  which 
no  one  is  worthy.  A  prince  should  thank  God  for  it, 
if  he  might  do  the  same.  It  is  true,  he  can  do  in  his 
state  what  God  requires, — namely,  punish  the  wicked. 
But  when,  and  how  rarely,  does  it  happen  that  he  can 
discharge  such  a  duty  aright !  But  in  this  state  it  is 
all  so  ordered,  that  you  may  know  that  when  you  do 
what  you  are  bidden,  it  pleases  God. 

God  does  not  look  to  the  work,  how  small  it  is  ;  but 
to  the  heart  that  serves  him  in  such  little  things.  But 
in  this  it  happens  as  in  other  matters  :  what  God  has 
.commanded,  no  one  performs  ;  what  men  enact  and 
God  does  not  ordain,  every  one  complies  with. 

But,  say  you,  "  Ah !  how  is  this  ?  What  if  I  have 
such  a  strange  and  irritable  master  as  no  one  can 
thankfully  serve,  for  many  such  may  be  found  ?  "  To 
this  St.  Peter  answers,  "  Are  you  a  Christian  and  de- 
sirous to  please  God,  you  are  not  to  inquire  as  to  that 
matter  how  strange  and  froward  your  master  is,  but 
ever  direct  your  eyes  to  this,  and  observe  what  God 


140  THE   FIRST    EPISTLE  [CHAP.  II. 

bids  you."  So  that  you  are  to  reason  after  this  man- 
ner :  "  I  will  in  this  way  serve  my  Master,  Christ,  who 
requires  it  of  me  that  I  be  subject  to  this  froward 
master."  If  God  should  command  you  to  wash  the 
devil's  feet,  or  those  of  the  merest  wretch,  you  are  to 
do  it ;  and  this  work  would  be  just  as  much  a  good 
work  as  the  highest  of  all,  when  God  calls  you  to  it. 
Therefore  you  are  to  have  no  regard  to  the  person,  but 
only  to  what  God  requires  ;  and  in  this  case  the  least 
work  is  more  to  be  preferred  in  God's  sight,  when 
rightly  performed,  than  all  the  popes'  and  monks'  works 
in  one  heap.  But  whomsoever  this  does  not  incite, 
that  it  is  God's  will,  and  is  acceptable  to  Him,  the 
work  will  be  of  no  avail  to  him.  Better  than  it  is  you 
cannot  make  it,  worse  than  it  is  you  cannot  leave  it. 
And  therefore  this  is  to  be  done  luith  all  fear,  (as  St. 
Peter  says,)  that  it  may  be  rightly  proceeded  with,  since 
it  is  not  the  command  of  men,  but  of  God. 

And  here  St.  Peter  speaks  particularly  of  servants 
according  to  the  circumstances  of  those  times,  when 
they  were  held  as  property,  such  as  are  to  be  found 
still  in  some  places,  and  are  exchanged  like  cattle,  who 
are  ill-treated  and  beaten  of  their  masters  ;  and  the 
masters  had  such  license  that  they  were  not  punished 
although  they  put  their  servants  to  death.  Wherefore 
it  became  necessary  that  the  Apostles  should  carefully 
admonish  and  comfort  such  servants,  that  they  might 
serve  their  hard  masters,  and  endure  it,  though  suffer- 


CHAP.  II.]  GENERAL   OF   ST.    PETER.  141 

ing  and  injustice  were  imposed  upon  them.  Whoever 
is  a  Christian  must  also  bear  a  cross  ;  and  the  more 
you  suffer  wrongfully,  the  better  it  is  for  you  ;  where- 
fore you  should  receive  such  a  cross  from  God  cheer- 
fully, and  thank  Him  for  it.  This  is  the  right  kind  of 
sujBfering,  that  is  well-pleasing  to  God.  For  what  a 
thing  would  it  be,  that  you  should  be  cruelly  beaten 
and  had  well  deserved  it,  yet  would  glory  in  your 
cross  ?  Therefore  St.  Peter  says  :  When  ye  suffer  and 
are  patient  for  well-doing,  this  is  well-pleasing  with 
God, — that  is  to  say,  acceptable  and  exceedingly  grate- 
ful in  the  sight  of  God,  and  a  real  service  of  God. 
Observe,  here  are  those  truly  precious  good  works  de- 
scribed, which  we  are  to  do  ;  and  we  like  fools  have 
trodden  this  doctrine  under  foot,  and  have  invented 
and  devised  other  works  ;  so  that  we  should  lift  up 
our  hands,  thank  God,  and  rejoice  that  we  at  length 
have  such  knowledge. — Now  it  follows,  further  : 

V.  21-25.  For  thereunto  are  ye  called^  since  Christ 
also  hath  suffered  for  us^  and  left  us  an  example^  that  ye 
shoidd  folloio  in  His  steps  ^  icho  did  no  sin,  and  in  His 
7nouth  %cas  found  no  guile;  who,  when  He  was  reviled 
reviled  not  again,  when  He  suffered  He  threatened  not, 
but  committed  it  to  Him  that  judgeth  righteously  ;  icho 
Himself  hath  home  our  sins  in  His  oicn  body  on  the  tree, 
that  we  might  be  without  sin  and  live  to  righteousness  ; 
by  lohose  stt'ipes  ye  are  healed.  For  ye  icere  as  sheep 
going  astray,  but  ye  are  now  returned  to  the  Shepherd. 
and  Bishop  of  your  souls. 


142  THE   FIEST   EPISTLE  [CHAP.  II. 

Thus  it  is,  as  we  have  said,  that  the  servant  should 
resolve  in  his  heart  and  be  induced  cheerfully  to  do 
and  suffer  what  is  required  of  him,  since  his  Master, 
Christ,  has  done  so  much  for  him.  Hence  they  are  to 
reason  thus  :  since  my  Master  has  thus  become  ray 
servant, — a  thing  to  which  He  was  not  obliged, — and 
has  given  up  body  and  life  for  me,  why  should  not  I 
serve  Him  in  return?  He  was  perfectly  holy  and 
without  sin,  yet  has  He  so  greatly  humbled  Himself, 
and  has  shed  His  blood  for  me,  and  has  died  that  He 
might  take  away  my  sin.  How  then  shall  not  I  also 
endure  somewhat  if  it  pleases  Him  ?  Whoever  reflects 
on  this  must  be  a  stone  if  it  does  not  move  him  ;  for 
when  the  Master  goes  forward  and  steps  in  the  mire, 
the  servant  should  cheerfully  follow  Him. 

Therefore  St.  Peter  says.  Hereunto  are  ye  called. 
Whereto?  That  ye  should  suffer  wrongfully  like 
Christ.  As  though  he  would  say.  If  you  will  follow 
after  Christ  you  must  not  dispute  and  complain  greatly, 
though  you  are  unjustly  treated,  but  endure  the  same 
and  count  it  for  the  best,  since  Christ  has  suffered  all 
without  guilt  of  His  own.  He  did  not  even  defend 
His  integrity  when  He  stood  before  the  judges.  So 
that  you  are  to  neglect  this  right,  and  only  say,  7>.y 
gratias^  for  this  am  I  called  that  I  should  endure  in- 
justice ;  for  what  should  I  complain  of  when  my  master 
did  not  complain  ? 

And  here  St.  Peter  has  quoted  some  words  from  the 


CHAP.  II.]  GENERAL   OF   ST.    PETER.  143 

prophet  Isaiah, — namely,  these,  Chap.  liii.  :  "  Who 
did  no  sin,  neither  was  deceit  found  in  His  mouth," 
also,  "  by  whose  stripes  ye  are  healed."  Christ  was  so 
pure  that  not  an  evil  word  was  ever  on  His  tongue. 
He  deserved  that  all  should  fall  at  His  feet,  and  bear 
Him  in  their  hands.  Although  He  had  power  and  the 
right  to  avenge  Himself,  he  yet  permitted  Himself  to 
be  derided,  insulted,  reviled,  and  besides  all,  put  to 
death,  and  never  opened  His  mouth.  Why  then 
should  you  not  endure  it  also,  when  you  are  nothing 
but  sin?  You  ought  to  praise  and  thank  God  that 
you  are  counted  worthy  of  this, — that  you  should  be 
like  Christ ;  and  not  murm.ur  nor  be  impatient  though 
you  be  made  to  suffer,  since  the  Master  did  not  revile 
nor  threaten  in  return,  but  even  prayed  for  liis 
enemies. 

But  perhaps  you  say,  "  How  ?  Am  I  then  to  give 
that  which  is  due  to  those  who  treat  me  unjustly,  and 
say  of  them,  they  have  done  well  ?"  Answer.  No  1 
but  this  is  what  you  are  to  say  :  I  will  from  my  heart 
cheerfully  suffer  it,  although  I  have  not  deserved  it, 
and  you  do  me  injustice  for  my  Master's  sake,  who  also 
has  endured  injustice  for  me.  You  are  to  commit  it 
to  God,  who  is  a  righteous  judge,  and  will  richly  re- 
ward it,  just  as  Christ  committed  it  to  His  Heavenly 
Father.  He  lulio  has  home  our  siiis  in  His  oicn  loly 
(says  St.  Peter)  ;  that  is,  he  has  not  suffered  for  himself, 
but  for  our  welfare.     We  who  have  crucified  him  by 


144  THE   FIRST   EPISTLE  [CHAP.  II. 

our  sins,  are  far  from  that  condition  ourselves.  Where- 
fore, if  you  are  a  pious  Christian,  you  are  to  follow 
after  your  Master,  and  mourn  for  those  who  make  you 
suffer,  and  even  pray  for  them,  that  God  will  not 
punish  ;  them  for  they  do  far  more  injury  to  their  own 
souls  than  to  your  body.  If  you  lay  this  to  heart,  you 
shall  easily  forget  your  suffering,  and  suffer  cheerfully. 
For  we  are  to  consider  that  we  were  once  in  such  a 
Christless  state  as  those,  but  have  now,  through  Christ, 
been  converted,  as  St.  Peter  concludes  and  says  : 

.  V.  25.  Ye  were  like  sheep  going  astray^  bid  ye  are 
now  returned  to  the  Shepherd  and  Bishop  of  your  Souls. 
This,  however,  is  a  passage  from  the  prophet  Isaiah, 
who  speaks  after  this  manner  :  "  We  have  all  gone 
astray  like  sheep,  and  every  one  has  gone  in  his  own 
way."  But  now  have  we  obtained  a  Shepherd,  says 
St.  Peter.  The  Son  of  God  has  come  for  our  sake, 
that  He  might  be  our  Shepherd  and  Bishop  ;  He  gives 
us  His  Spirit,  feeds  us,  and  leads  us  by  His  word,  so 
that  we  now  know  how  we  are  helped.  Therefore, 
when  you  confess  that  through  Him  jovly  sins  have 
been  taken  away,  then  you  become  His  sheep,  and  He 
becomes  your  herdsman.  Just  as  He  is  thy  Bishop,  so 
art  thou  His  Soul.  This  is,  then,  the  comfort  which 
all  Christians  have.  Thus  we  have  two  chapters  in 
this  Epistle,  wherein  St.  Peter  has  in  the  first  place 
tauffht  the  true  faith,  then  the  true  works  of  love,  and 


CHAP.  III.]  GENERAL   OF   ST.    PETER.  145 

has  spoken  of  two  kinds  of  works.  First,  what  we 
all  generally  should  practice  toward  civil  government, 
then  how  domestics  should  conduct  themselves  toward 
their  masters.  And  what  St.  Peter  says  here  of 
servants,  extends,  also,  to  some  other  persons,— namely, 
artizans,  day-laborers,  and  all  kinds  of  hired  servants. 
Now  he  goes  on  to  teach  us  further,  how^  husband  and 
wife  should  conduct  themselves  toward  one  another  in 
a  christian  manner. 


CHAPTER    III. 

V.  1-6.  Likewise  ye  loives  oe  in  subjection  to  your 
oion  husbcmds,  so  that  they  icho  do  not  obey  the  word 
may  be  won  without  the  word^  through  the  conduct  of 
their  wives, iohe?i  they  see  your  chaste  co?iversation  coupled 
with  fear.  Whose  adorning  is  not  outward,  in  the  braid- 
ing of  the  hair,  and  the  wearing  of  gold,  or  the  putting  on 
of  apparel,  but  the  hidden  man  of  the  heart,  hi  that 
xohich  is  incorruptible,  a  meek  and  quiet  spirit,  which  is, 
in  the  sight  of  God,  of  great  price.  For  thus  also  did 
the  holy  women  of  old  adorn  themselves,  who  hoped  in 
God  and  were  subject  to  their  husbands.  As  Sarah  was 
obedient  to  Abraham  and  called  him  master,  whose 
daughters  ye  are,  if  ye  do  well,  and  fear  not  of  any 
terror. 

Here  St.  Peter  speaks  especially  of  wives,  who  at 

7 


146  ■    THE    FIKST   EPISTLE  [CHAP.  III. 

that  time  had  heathen  and  unbelieving  husbands.  And 
on  the  other  hand,  he  speaks  of  believing  husbands  who 
had  heathen  wives  ;  for  it  often  occurred  while  the 
Apostles  preached  the  Gospel  among  the  heathen,  that 
one  was  a  Christian  and  the  other  not.  If  it  then  was 
commanded  that  the  wife  should  be  subject  to  the  hus- 
band, how  much  more  must  it  be  so  ordered  now. 
Therefore  it  is  the  woman's  duty,  St.  Peter  would  say, 
to  be  subject  to  her  husband,  although  he  is  a  heathen 
and  unbeliever  ;  and  he  gives  the  reason  why  this 
should  be  so. 

Y.  1,  2.  So  that  even  they  who  believe  not  on  the  word, 
may  be  won  without  the  word^  through  their  ivives'  con- 
duct, when  they  see  your  chaste  conversation  coupled  with 
fear.  That  is,  when  a  man  sees  that  his  wife  proceeds 
and  conducts  herself  with  such  propriety,  then  he  is 
drawn  toward  obedience,  and  holds  the  state  of  a 
Christian  to  be  one  that  is  truly  blessed.  And  al- 
though it  is  not  directed  to  women  to  preach,  yet 
should  they  so  conduct  themselves  in  their  demeanor 
and  conversation  that  they  may  thereby  attract  their 
husbands  toward  obedience  : — as  we  read  of  the  mother 
of  St.  Augustine,  who  converted  her  husband,  who  had 
been  a  heathen,  before  his  death,  and  so  afterward  her 
son  Augustine.  Still  it  is  an  external  thing,  whicli,  as 
it  is  not  to  be  performed  in  order  to  our  justification 
for  obedience,  does  not  save  you,  for  you  may  perhap? 


CHAP.  III.]  GENERAL  OF  ST.   PETER.  147 

find  an  obedient  wife  who  is  yet  unbelieving,  but  you 
should  do  it  for  this  reason,  that  you  may  thereby  ben- 
efit your  husband.  For  thus  has  God  ordained  (Gen. 
iii.)  when  He  says  to  the  woman,  "  thou  shalt  submit 
thyself  to  thy  husband,  and  he  shall  be  thy  master," 
which  is  also  the  punishment  which  he  has  imposed  on 
the  woman.  But  such  is  (I  say)  the  outward  conduct — 
that  which  belongs  to  the  body,  not  to  the  spirit. 

But  this  is  a  great  thing,  to  know  what  works  we 
should  do  to  please  God.  By  this  rule  are  we  to  run, 
just  as  we  see  that  the  world  runs,  by  the  rule  that  it 
has  falsely  devised.  It  is  a  high,  noble  blessing  which 
a  wife  may  have  when  sh^  so  conducts  lierself  as  to 
be  subject  to  her  husband,  inasmuch  as  she  is  saved, 
and  her  works  please  God  ;  what  can  be  a  happier  ex- 
perience ?  Therefore  whoever  wishes  to  be  a  christian 
wife  is  to  reason  after  this  manner  :  I  will  not  pay 
regard  as  to  what  sort  of  a  husband  I  have,  whether 
he  be  a  heathen  or  a  Jew,  righteous  or  wicked  ;  but  to 
this  I  will  pay  regard,  to  the  fact  that  God  has  placed 
me  in  the  marriage  state,  and  I  will  be  subject  and 
obedient  to  ray  husband.  Then  all  her  works  are 
precious  if  she  stands  in  such  obedience. 

But  where  the  influence  of  attraction  is  not  employed, 
nothing  else  will  avail : — for  you  never  will  succeed  by 
blows  in  making  a  wife  pious  and  submissive.  If  you 
strike  one  devil  out  you  will  strike  two  devils  in,  as 
they  say.     Oh  !  if  people  who  are  in  the  marriage  state 


148  THE   FIRST   EPISTLE  [CHAP.  III. 

knew  this,  how  uprightly  would  they  walk^;  but  no  one 
does  cheerfully  what  God  has  commanded,  but  all  run 
after  that  which  men  have  invented.  This  command 
God  has  wished  to  be  so  carefully  observed,  that  he 
authorized  husbands  to  make  void  the  vows  which  their 
wives  made  if  they  were  displeasing  to  them,  as  we 
read  in  Num.  xxx.,  so  that  all  might  go  on  peacefully 
and  quietly  at  home.  This  is  one  point.  Now  the 
Apostle  directs  further  how  a  woman  should  conduct 
herself  toward  other  people. 

y.  3,  4.  Whose  adorning,  let  it  not  he  outward,  it. 
■braiding  of  the  hair^  and  wearing  of  gold,  and  putting  on 
of  apparel,  hut  of  the  hidden  man  of  the  heart,  in  that 
which  is  incorruptible,  a  meek  and  quiet  sinrit,  which  in 
God's  sight  is  precious.  This  treasure,  which  is  internal, 
should  be  possessed  not  only  by  the  wife,  but  by  the 
husband.  But  here  possibly  some  one  might  ask 
whether  that  which  St.  Peter  here  says  of  ornament  is 
commanded  or  not.  We  read  of  Esther,  that  she  wore 
a  golden  crown  and  precious  ornaments,  decking  her- 
self as  a  queen.  So  also  of  Judith.  But  near  by  it  is 
recorded,  that  she  despised  the  ornament  and  wore  it 
from  necessity.  So  that  we  say  this  much,  that  a  wo- 
man should  be  so  disposed  as  not  to  care  for  this 
adorning  ;  yet,  inasmuch  as  people  convinced  on  the 
subject  of  ornament,  cease  not  from  the  use  of  it,  such 
is  their  habit  and  nature, — a  christian  wife  should  de- 


CHAP.  III.]  GENERAL   OF   ST.    PETER.  149 

spise  it.  But  if  the  husband  requires  it,  or  there  is  a 
reasonable  cause  for  her  adorning  herself,  it  may  well 
be  done.  But  in  such  a  way  should  she  be  adorned, 
as  St.  Peter  here  says,  as  to  be  inwardly  attired  in  a 
meek  and  quiet  spirit.  You  are  vainly  enough  adorned 
when  you  are  adorned  for  your  husband  ;  Christ  will 
not  suffer  it  that  you  should  be  adorned  to  please 
others,  and  that  you  should  be  called  a  vain  harlot. 
Therefore  you  are  to  see  to  it,  that  you  wear  about  in 
your  heart  the  hidden  treasure  and  precious  adorning, 
in  that  which  is  incorruptible,  as  St.  Peter  says,  and 
lead  a  pure,  merciful,  temperate  life." 

It  is  good  evidence  that  there  is  not  much  of  the 
spirit  there,  where  so  much  is  expended  on  ornaments, 
but  this  will  be  trodden  under  foot  where  faith  and  the 
spirit  are  present,  and  these  will  say,  like  Queen  Esther, 
"Lord,  thou  knowest  that  I  regard  with  aversion  the 
crown  which  I  wear  on  my  head,  and  that  I  am  com- 
pelled thus  to  adorn  myself.     If  this  was  not  required 
to  be  done  of  me  out  of  love  to  my  king,  I  would  much 
rather  trample  it  under  foot."     Where  the  wife  is  of 
such  a  disposition,  she  will  so  much  the  more  please 
her  husband.   Therefore  they  are  to  take  this  into  con- 
sideration (says  St.  Peter),  that  they  adorn  the  inward 
man,  where  there  is  to  be  a  quiet  spirit,  one  tliat  cannot 

-  "Here  the  Apostle  pulls  off  from  christian  women  their  vain  out- 
side ornaments ;  but  ,s  not  this  a  wrong  to  spoU  aU  their  dressmg  and 
fineness?  No;  he  doth  this  only  to  send  them  to  a  better  wardrobe : 
tliere  is  much  profit  in  the  change ."-L«^Won  on  I.  Peter, 


150  THE   FIRST  EPISTLE  [CHAP.  III. 

be  ruffled  ;  not  only  that  they  do  not  run  into  excess,  so 
that  they  may  be  kept  from  confusion  and  shame,  but, 
his  meaning  is,  that  they  should  beware  that  the  soul 
remain  unruffled,  and  in  the  true  faith,  and  that  this  be 
not  forsaken.  Thus  is  derived  a  heart  such  as  does  not 
break  forth  and  busy  itself  as  to  how  it  shall  appear 
before  the  world.  Such  a  heart  is  a  precious  thing  in 
the  sight  of  God.  If  a  woman  were  to  adorn  herself 
with  pure  gold,  precious  stones  and  pearls,  even  to  lier 
feet,  it  would  be  exceedingly  splendid.  But  you  cannot 
attach  so  much  to  a  woman  that  it  shall  be  preferable 
to  that  superior  ornament  of  the  soul  which  is  precious 
in  God's  sight.  Gold  and  fine  stones  are  precious  in 
the  world's  esteem,  but  before  God  they  are  an  ill-savor. 
But  she  is  truly  and  nobly  adorned  in  the  sight  of  God, 
who  goes  forth  with  a  meek  and  quiet  spirit ;  and  since 
God  himself  accounts  it  precious,  it  must  be  a  noble 
thing.  A  christian  soul  has  all  that  Christ  has,  for 
faith,  as  we  have  said,  brings  us  all  the  blessings  of 
Christ  in  common.  This  is  a  great  and  precious  treasure, 
and  such  an  ornament  as  none  can  sufficiently  prize. 
God  himself  makes  much  account  of  it.  Thus  the 
husband  should  withdraw  and  dissuade  the  wife  from 
ornament,  so  long  as  she  is  inclined  to  it.  When  a 
christian  wife  gives,  ear  and  reflects,  and  determines 
thus,  "  I  will  not  care  for  ornament,  since  God  does  not 
regard  it, — but  if  I  must  wear  it,  I  will  do  it  to  please 
my  husband,"  then  is  she  truly  adorned  and  attired  in 


CHAP.  III.]  GENERAL   OF   ST.    PETER.  151 

spirit.  Hereupou  St.  Peter  now  gives  us  an  example 
of  holy  women,  that  he  may  draw  wives  to  a  christian 
conduct,  and  says : 

Y.  5.  For  after  this  manner  did  holy  women  of  old 
time  adorn  themselves,  who  set  their  hope  on  God  and 
were  subject  to  their  husbands,  as  Sarah  obeyed  Abraham 
and  called  him  lord.— As  these  women  adorned  them- 
selves, he  would  say,  so  do  ye  also,  as  Sarah  was  obe- 
dient to  her  husband  Abraham,  and  called  him  her 
lord.  So  Scripture  speaks.  Gen.  xviii.,  where  the  Angel 
came  to  Abraham  and  said.  Within  a  year  shall  Sarah 
liave  a  son  ;  then  she  laughed  and  spoke  thus  :  "  Now 
that  I  am  old,  and  my  Lord  is  old  also,  shall  I  yet  have 
pleasure  ?"  This  passage  St.  Peter  has  justly  noticed 
and  adduced  in  this  place  ;  for  she  would  not  have  called 
Abraham  thus  her  lord  if  she  had  not  been  subject  to 
him  and  had  him  before  her  eyes.  Therefore,  he  says, 
further : 

V.  6.  Whose  daughters  ye  are,  if  ye  do  well  and  stand 
in  fear  of  no  terror'.  —  What  does  he  mean  by  that  ? 
This  is  what  he  means.  It  is  usually  the  nature  of 
women  to  be  troubled  and  frightened  about  everything, 
since  they  are  so  much  occupied  with  charms  and  su- 
perstition, while  one  teaches  the  other,  that  it  is  not  to 
be  told  what  illusions  they  have.  This  should  not  be 
the  case  with  a  christian  woman,  but  she  should  go 
forward  securely,  yet  not  be  so  superstitious,  and  run 


152  THE   FIRST   EPISTLE  [CHAP.  III. 

about  here  and  there — pronounce  here  a  blessing,  there 
a  blessing — inasmuch  as  it  concerns  her  to  let  God 
direct  ;  and  she  is  to  remember  it  cannot  go  ill  with 
her,  for  as  long  as  she  knows  her  condition,  that  her 
state  is  pleasing  to  God,  what  will  she  then  have  to 
fear  ?  Though  your  child  die,  though  you  are  sick, 
it  is  well  if  it  pleases  God  ;  if  you  are  in  a  state  which 
pleases  God,  what  better  can  you  desire  ?  This,  then, 
is  what  is  preached  to  wives.  Now  follows  the  duty 
of  husbands  : 

V.  7.  LiJceioise^  ye  husbands^  dwell  with  them  accord- 
ing to  reason^  giving  honor  to  the  wife  as  to  the  weaker 
vessel,  and  as  being  heirs  together  of  the  grace  of  life, 
that  your  prayers  be  not  hindered. 

The  woman  is  also  God's  instrument  or  vessel,  he 
says,  for  God  uses  her  to  this  end,  that  she  may  bear 
children,  give  them  birth  and  nourishment,  and  watch 
over  them,  and  rule  the  household.  Such  work  is  the 
wife  to  do.  So  that  she  is  God's  instrument  and  vessel, 
which  He  has  created  and  instructed  to  this  end.  For 
this  reason  is  the  husband  to  respect  his  wife.  There- 
fore, St.  Peter  says.  Ye  husbands,  dwell  with  your  wives 
according  to  reason,  not  that  ye  are  to  rule  over  them 
with  a  headstrong  will.  They  are,  indeed,  to  obey  the 
law  of  the  husband  ;  what  he  bids  and  commands,  that 
is  to  be  done  ;  but  he  is  also  to  see  to  it  that  he  walks 
soberly  and  according  to  reason  with  his  wife,  so  as  to 


CHAP.  III.]  GENERAL   OF   ST.    PETER.  153 

give  her  that  respect  and  honor  which  belongs  to  her 
as  God's  weaker  vessel. 

The  husband  is  also  God's  instrument,  but  he  is 
■stronger,  while  the  wife  is  weaker  bodily,  as  well  as 
timid  and  more  easily  dispirited  ;  therefore,  you  are  so 
to  conduct  and  walk  in  respect  to  her,  that  she  may  be 
able  to  bear  it.  You  must  proceed  in  this  case  just  as 
with  other  instruments  wherewith  you  labor  ;  just  as 
when  you  would  have  a  good  sickle,  you  must  not  hack 
upon  the  stone  with  it.  On  this  subject  no  rule  can  be 
laid  down.  God  leaves  the  matter  to  each  individually, 
that  he  shall  treat  his  wife  in  accordance  with  reason, 
according  to  the  circumstances  of  each  woman  :  for  you 
are  not  to  use  the  authority  which  you  have,  according 
to  your  own  will,  for  you  are  her  husband  for  this  very 
purpose,  that  you  may  help  to  guide  and  support  her, — 
not  that  you  should  destroy  her.  Hence  none  can  lay 
you  down  a  rule  with  exact  limitations  ;  you  must  un- 
derstand yourself  how  you  are  to  proceed  in  accordance 
with  reason. 

Thus  we  have  now  heard  in  regard  to  husbands,  also, 
what  good  works  those  who  please  God  are  to  per- 
form,— namely,  that  they  dwell  with  their  wives,  endear 
themselves  to  them,  and  walk  soberly  with  them. 
Things  cannot  always  go  on  as  you  would  be  glad  to 
have  them.  Therefore  do  you  see  to  it  that  you  act 
like  a  husband,  and  have  so  much  the  more  discretion, 
7* 


164  THE   FIRST  EPISTLE  [CHAP.  III. 

when  it  is  lacking  in  the  wife,  while  you  are  to  con- 
nive at  some  matters,  tolerate  and  pardon  some  things," 
and  give  to  the  wife,  also,  her  honor. 

This  lio7ior  has  been  explained,  I  hardly  know  how. 
Some  have  interpreted  it  thus  :  that  the  husband  should 
procure  food,  drink,  and  clothing  for  the  wife,  and 
should  nourish  her.  Some  have  referred  it  to  marriage 
duties.  I  hold  this  to  be  the  meaning,  as  I  have  said, 
that  the  husband  should  treat  the  wife  as  consists  with 
her  being  a  Christian,  and  a  vessel  or  instrument  of 
God.  And  thus  they  are  both  to  conduct :  the  wife  is 
to  hold  the  husband  in  honor,  and  on  the  other  hand 
also  the  husband  is  to  give  to  the  wife  her  honor.  If 
matters  were  thus  directed,  they  would  go  on  harmoni- 
ously, in  peace  and  love.  Yet  where  this  course  is 
wanting,  there  will  be  more  disgust  in  the  marriage 
state.  Hence  it  comes  to  pass,  when  man  and  wife 
take  one  another  from  nothing  but  lust,  and  imagine 
they  will  have  happiness  and  the  gratification  of  appe- 
tite, that  they  experience  mere  heart-anguish.  But 
if  you  have  a  regard  to  God's  work  and  will,  then  may 
you  live  christianly  in  marriage, — not  like  the  heathen, 
who  know  not  what  God  requires. 

As  heirs  together  of  the  grace  of  life.     The  husband  is 

*  "  Not  disclosing  the  weaknesses  of  the  wife  to  others,  nor  observ- 
ing them  too  narrowly  himself,  but  hiding  them  both  from  others,  and 
his  own  eyes,  by  love :  not  seeing  them  further  than  love  itself  re- 
quires."-— Leighton. 


CHAP.  III.]  GENERAL   OF   ST.    PETER.  155 

not  to  dwell  on  this,  that  the  wife  is  weak  and  fragile, 
but  on  this,  that  she  also  is  baptized,  and  has  the 
same  that  he  has, — all  blessings  in  Christ.  For  in- 
wardly we  are  all  alike,  and  there  is  no  difference 
between  man  and  woman,  but  as  to  the  outward  con- 
dition, it  is  God's  pleasure  that  the  husband  rule,  and 
the  wife  be  subject  to  him. 

That  your  prayers  he  not  hindered.  What  does  St. 
Peter  mean  by  that  ?  This  is  his  meaning  ;  if  you  do 
not  act  in  accordance  with  reason,  but  will  find  fault, 
and  murmur,  and  proceed  arbitrarily,  and  in  this  give 
occasion  for  error,  so  that  neither  can  overlook  another's 
fault,  and  take  all  for  the  best,  then  will  you  be  un- 
able to  pray,  and  say,  "  Father,  forgive  us  our  sins  as 
we  forgive."  By  prayer  we  are  to  strive  against  the 
devil,  therefore  we  must  be  subject  one  to  another. 
These  are  the  truly  precious  good  works  whicli  we  are 
to  do.  If  this  is  preached  and  understood,  wo  shall 
all  have  our  homes  full  of  good  deeds. — Thus  we  have 
heard  how  a  Christian  should  conduct  himself  in  all 
varieties  of  condition,  but  especially  in  his  relations  to 
others.  It  follows  now,  further,  how  we  all,  in  com- 
mon one  with  another,  should  lead,  as  to  our  outward 
condition,  a  christian  life. 

V.  8-12.  Finally^  be  ye  all  like-minded^  have  compas- 
sion one  of  another.,  he  compassionate.,  affectionate  as 
l)rethTen.,  heartily  kind,  courteorts.     Hender  not  evil  for 


156  THE    FIRST    EPISTLE  [CHAP.  III. 

evil,  or  railing  for  railing,  hut  on  the  co)drary,  blessing; 
and  knoic,  that  ye  cure  hereunto  called,  that  ye  should  i?i- 
herit  the  blessing.  For  whoso  loveth  life  and  would  see 
prosperity,  let  him  refrain  his  tongue,  that  it  speak  not 
evil,  and  his  lips  that  they  bear  no  guile.  Turn  thyself 
from  evil  and  do  good,  seek  out  pea/ie  and  pursue  it. 
For  the  eyes  of  the  Lord  behold  the  righteous,  and  His 
ears  are  open  to  their  prayer,  but  the  face  of  the  Lord  is 
against  them  that  do  evil. 

• 
All  this  is  said  only  to  this  end,  that  we  should  have 

mutual  love  one  to  another.  For  here  that  which  the 
Scripture  sometimes  expresses  in  few  words,  is  much 
enlarged  upon.  St.  Peter  would  say,  the  summa  sum- 
marum  as  to  how  you  are  to  treat  one  another  in  your 
outward  conduct  is,  that  ye  be  like-minded.  This 
matter  the  Apostles  Peter  and  Paul  often  bring  for- 
ward, and  this  much  is  said,  that  we  all  should  have 
one  mind,  one  spirit,  one  thought ;  what  seems  to  one 
right  and  good,  let  this  also  seem  to  another  right  and 
good.  It  is  an  important,  note-worthy  matter,  that 
should  be  well  understood  ;  St.  Paul  has  spoken  much 
particularly  upon  it. 

We  cannot  all  of  us  do  the  same  kind  of  work,  but 
every  one  must  labor  each  for  himself, — a  husband  in  a 
different  sphere  from  the  wife,  a  servant  in  a  different 
sphere  from  the  master,  and  so  throughout.  And  it  is 
a  foolish  thing  to  preach  that  we  should  all  do  one 
work,  as  those  senseless  preachers  have  done  who 
preach  the  legends  of  the  saints, — that  these  saints  have 


CHAP.  III.]  GENERAL    OF   ST.    PETER.  157 

done  that  work,  those,  another,  and  then  insist  and  say 
we  should  do  the  same. 

It  is  doubtless  true  that  Abraham  did  a  good  work, 
highly  to  be  esteemed,  when  he  offered  up  his  son,  since 
this  was  particularly  commanded  him  of  God.  When 
the  heathen  did  the  same  and  would  sacrifice  their  chil- 
dren likewise,  this  was  an  act  of  cruelty  in  the  sight  of 
God.  So,  also,  King  Solomon  did  well  in  building  the 
temple,  and  God  justly  rewarded  him  for  it.  And  our 
blind  fools,  now,  would  also  do  the  same,"  and  preach 
that^  we  must  build  churches  and  temples  for  God, 
while  God  has  given  us  no  command  on  the  subject. 
So  it  now  comes  to  pass,  that  men  busy  themselves 
with  a  single  kind  of  employment,  and  have  many 
views  in  it  directly  in  opposition  to  the  Gospel, 

But  this  is  what  should  be  taught,  that  there  sliould 
be  a  single  aim  and  many  employments,  one  heai-t  and 
many  hands :  all  should  not  follow  one  business,  but 
every  one  should  attend  to  his  own  ;  otherwise  there 
will  not  remain  unity  of  aim  and  heart.  As  to  what 
is  external,  it  must  be  permitted  to  remain  of  a  mani- 
fold  character,  so  that  every  one  abide  in  that  which 
has  been  committed  to  him,  and  the  work  that  he 
has  in  hand.    This  is  a  true  doctrine,  and  it  is  exceed- 


*  Luther  here  doubtless  refers  to  what  he  regarded  as  the  foolish 
project  of  the  Pope  in  attempting  to  build  the  church  of  St.  Peter,  at 
Rome, — the  project  which  sent  Tetzel  into  Germany,  and  made  the  sale 
of  indulgences  so  common  and  ol>noxious.—  [  Tmn!'.'] 


lo8  THE    FIKST    EFISTLK  [CHAP.  III. 

ingly  necessary  that  it  should  be  well  understood  ;  for 
the  devil  expends  his  care  particularly  on  this,  and 
has  brought  things  into  such  a  state,  that  judgment  is 
passed  on  the  employment,  and  every  one  thinks  that 
his  own  should  be  counted  better  than  another's; 
hence  it  has  come  to  pass,  that  men  are  so  disuuited 
one  with  another,  monks  against  priests,  one  Order 
against  another,  for  every  one  has  wished  to  do  the 
best  work  :  thus  they  must  satisfy  themselves,  and  they 
have  given  themselves  up  to  the  Order,  and  think  this 
Order  is  better  tlian  that.  There  is  that  of  the  Augus- 
tines  against  that  of  the  Preaching  Monks,  that  of  the 
Carthusians  against  the  Barefooted  Friars,  and  nowhere 
is  there  greater  want  of  unanimity  tlian  ainon^  the 
Orders. 

But  if  it  has  been  taught  that,  in  the  sight  of  God, 
no  employment  is  better  than  another,  but  that  through 
faith  all  are  alike,— then  will  all  hearts  remain  united, 
and  we  are  all  alike  mutually  disposed,  and  shall  also 
say,— th-e  Order,  or  the  mode  of  life  which  the  bisliop 
leads,  is  in  God's  sight  no  more  accounted  of  than  that 
which  a  poor  man  leads  ;  the  mode  of  life  whicli  tlie 
nun  leads  is  no  better  than  that  which  a  married 
woman  lea.»s ;  and  the  same  in  respect  to  all  vai'ioties 
of  condition. 

But  this  they  will  not  hear  to,  but  every  one  main- 
tains his  own  for  the  best,  and  says,  Ah !  how  much 


CHAP.  III.]  GENERAL   OF   ST.    PETER.  159 

better  and  more  important  is  my  state,  in  the  Order, 
than  the  state  of  a  common  man. 

Thus  to  have  one  aim  is,  that  every  one  should  regard 
his  own  employment  like  the  others,  and  that  the  con- 
dition of  the  married  woman  is  just  as  good  as  that  of 
the  virgin,  as  all  are  indeed  alike  in  the  sight  of  God, 
who  judges  according  to  the  heart  and  faith,  not  by 
the  person  or  according  to  the  works  ;  so  that  we,  also, 
are  to  judge  as  God  judges,  and  then  are  we  of  one 
mind,  and  unanimity  remains  in  the  world,  and  hearts 
remain  unestranged,  so  that  there  is  no  deriding  on 
account  of  the  external  condition  ;  all  this  I  hold  to  be 
excellent,  and  am  well  satisfied  with  every  man's  em- 
ployment, whatever  it  be,  if  it  only  be  not  sinful  in 
itself. 

Of  this  St.  Paul  also  speaks,  2  Cor.  xi.,  "  I  fear  lest 
as  the  serpent  beguiled  Eve,  so  your  minds  should  be 
corrupted  from  the  simplicity  that  is  in  Christ  Jesus," 
— that  is,  lest  the  devil  so  beguile  you,  and  pervert 
and  divide  that  simplicity  of  aim  which  you  have.  So, 
Phil,  iv.,  "  The  peace  of  God,  which  passeth  all  under- 
standing, keep  your  hearts  and  minds  through  Jesus 
Christ.''  Why  does  the  Apostle  lay  so  much  stress  on 
tlie  aim  of  the  mind  ?  Because  it  all  consi'^ts  in  this, 
that  when  I  am  brought  to  cherish  a  false  aim,  every- 
thing is  already  lost ;  as  in  case  I  am  a  monk,  and 
liave  adopted  such  a  view  as  that  my  works  are  of  more 
wortli  in  the  sight  of  God  than  others,  and  say,  "  God 


160  THE    FIRST   EPISTLE  [CHAP.  III. 

be  thanked  that  I  have  become  a  monk  5  my  state  is 
now  far  preferable  to  the  common  one  of  marriage  :" 
in  which  case,  from  such  a  view  there  must  spring  a 
proud  spirit,  and  it  cannot  fail  that  I  should  count 
myself  more  righteous  than  another,  and  should  despise 
other  people  while  I  deceive  myself.  For  a  married 
woman,  if  she  abides  in  faith,  is  better  in  the  sight  of 
God  than  I  am  with  the  Order  I  belong  to.  So  that 
when  this  is  understood,  that  faith  brings  with  it  all 
that  a  Christian  ought  to  have,  we  all  of  us  have  one 
aim  and  view,  and  there  is  no  difference  among  works. 
Wherefore  we  are  thus  to  understand  this  passage 
of  St.  Peter,  that  he  means  the  aim  of  the  soul, — not 
that  which  refers  to  outward  matters, — and  an  internal 
view  or  plan  which  aspires  to  those  things  that  are 
esteemed  with  God  ;  so  that  both  the  doctrine  and  the 
life  be  one,  and  I  hold  that  for  excellent  which  you 
hold  as  excellent, — and  again,  that  is  well-pleasing  to 
you  which  is  well-pleasing  to  me,  as  I  have  said.  This 
sense  of  things  is  possessed  by  Christians,  and  to  this 
view  we  should  hold  fast,  that  it  may  not  be  perverted, 
as  St.  Paul  says  ;  for  when  the  devil  has  corrupted  it, 
he  has  forced  the  castle  of  true  purity,  and  all  then  is 
lost. 

V.  8.  Be  ye  compassionate,  affectionate  as  brethren, 
heartily  kind,  courteous.  To  be  compassionate  is,  that 
one  should  make  himself  a  sharer  with  another,  and 


CHAP.  III.]  GENERAL    OF   ST.    PETER.  161 

have  a  heart  to  feel  his  neighbor's  necessity.  When 
misfortune  overtakes  him  yon  are  not  to  think, — Ah  !  it 
is  right,  it  is  no  more  than  he  should  have,  he  has  well 
deserved  it.  Where  there  is  love,  it  identifies  itself 
with  its  neighbor  ;  and  when  it  goes  ill  with  him,  the 
heart  feels  it  as  though  it  were  its  own  experience. 
But  to  be  brotherly  (affectionate  as  brethren)  is  this 
much,  that  one  should  regard  another  as  his  own 
br.other.  This  certainly  may  be  easily  understood,  for 
nature  itself  teaches  it ;  by  which  you  see  what  those 
that  are  truly  brothers  are,  that  they  are  united  more 
heartily  together  than  any  friends  even.  So  ought  we, 
as  Christians,  to  act ;  for  we  are  all  brethren  by  bap- 
tism,— so  that  after  baptism  even  father  and  mother 
are  brother  and  sister,  for  I  have  the  same  blessing  and 
inheritance  that  they  have  from  Christ,  through  faith. 

Heartily  Mncl, —  Viscerosi.  This  word  I  cannot  ex- 
plain except  by  giving  an  illustration.  Observe  how 
a  mother  or  a  father  act  toward  their  child, — as  when  a 
mother  sees  her  child  enduring  anguish,  her  whole  in- 
ward being  is  moved,  and  her  heart  within  her  body  ; 
whence  is  derived  that  mode  of  speech  that  occurs  in 
many  places  in  Scripture.  Of  this  we  have  an  example 
in  III.  Kings  iii.,  where  two  women  contended  before 
King  Solomon  for  a  child,  and  each  claimed  the  child. 
And  when  the  king  would  discover  which  was  the  real 
mother  of  the  child,  he  must  appeal  to  nature,  whereby 


162  THE    FIRST   EPISTLE  [  CHAP.  III. 

he  detects  it ;  and  he  said  to  the  two  women,  You  say 
that  the  child  is  yours,  while  you  say  also  that  it  is 
yours  :  well,  then,  bring  hither  a  sword  and  divide  the 
child  into  two  parts,  and  give  one  part  to  this  woman, 
and  another  to  that.  Thus  he  attained  knowledge  as 
to  which  was  the  real  mother  ;  and  the  text  tells  us 
that  she  was  inwardly  affected  with  anxiety  for  the 
child,  and  said,  No !  no !  rather  give  the  child  whole 
to  this  woman,  and  let  it  live.  Then  the  king  pro- 
nounced his  decision  and  said.  That  is  the  true  mother  ; 
take  the  child  and  give  it  to  her.  Hence  you  may 
understand  what  this  word  Jieartily  means. 

This  is  what  St.  Peter  would  say  :  that  we  should 
conduct  ourselves  toward  one  another  like  those  that 
are  truly  friends  by  blood,  as  with  them  the  whole 
heart  is  moved,  the  life,  the  pulse,  and  all  the  powers  ; 
so  here,  also,  the  course  should  be  heartily  kind,  and 
motherly,  and  the  heart  should  be  thorouglily  pene- 
trated. Such  a  disposition  should  one  christian  man 
bear  towards  another.  But  the  standard  is  indeed  set 
high  ;  few  will  be  found  who  bear  such  a  hearty  love 
to  their  neighbor, — as  when  it  is  seen  that  a  necessity 
is  imposed  that  they  should  have  an  affection  like  that 
which  a  mother  has  for  a  child, — such  that  it  presses 
through  the  heart  and  through  every  vein.  Hence  you 
see  what  the  monks'  and  nuns'  state  of  life  is  ;  how  far 
it  is  removed  from  such  hearty  love  :  if  all  they  have 
were  to  be  smelted  together  in  one  man,  not  one  drop 


CHAP.  III. J  GENP]RAL    OF   ST.    PETER.  168 

of  such  christian  love  as  this  would  be  found  in  it. 
Wherefore  let  us  look  to  ourselves  and  be  jealous  over 
ourselves,  whether  we  can  find  in  ourselves  such  a  kind 
of  love.  This  is  a  short  lesson  and  quick  spoken,  but 
it  goes  deep  and  spreads  itself  wide. 

Courteous,  is,  that  we  lead  outwardly  a  gentle,  pleas- 
ing, lovely  behaviour, — not  merely  that  we  should  sym- 
pathize one  with  another,  as  a  father  and  mother  for  their 
child,  but  also  that  we  should  walk  in  love  and  gentle- 
ness one  with  another."  There  are  some  men  rough 
and  knotty,  like  a  tree  full  of  knots, — so  uncivil,  that  no 
one  will  readily  have  anything  to  do  with  them.  Hence 
it  happens  that  they  are  usually  full  of  suspicion,  and 
become  soon  angry  ;  with  whom  none  of  their  own 
choice  are  familiar.  But  there  are  gentle  people,  who 
interpret  all  for  the  best,  and  are  not  suspicious  ;  do 
not  permit  themselves  to  be  soon  irritated  ;  can  at  least 
understand  something  as  well  meant ;  such  persons  as 
are  called  Candidas.  This  virtue  St.  Paul  names 
XprjaTOTTjg,  as  it  is  often  praised  by  him. 

Now  consider  the  Gospel,  which  portrays  the  Lord 
Christ  so  distinctly,  that  we  may  trace  this  virtue  es- 
pecially in  Him  :  now  the  Pharisees  assault  Him,  and 
now  again,  others,  that  they  might  take  Him, — yet  He 
does  not  suffer  Himself  to   become  enraged.      And 

*  •'  The  least  difficulties  and  scruples  in  a  tender  conscience  should 
not  be  roughly  encountered ;  they  are  as  a  knot  in  a  silken  thread,  and 
require  a  gentle  and  wary  hand  to  loose  them." — Ldghton. 


164  THE    FIRST    EPISTLE  [CHAP.  III. 

although  the  Apostles  often  stumble,  and  act  a  foolish 
part  here  and  there,  He  nowhere  assails  them  with 
angry  words,  but  is  ever  courteous,  and  attracts  them 
toward  Himself,  so  that  they  remained  with  Him  cheer- 
fully and  heartily,  and  walked  with  Him.  This  like- 
wise we  see  among  kind  friends  and  societies  on  earth, 
wherever  there  are  two  or  three  good  friends,  who 
have  a  good  understanding  one  with  another  :  though 
one  acts, a  foolish  part,  the  other  can  readily  pardon 
him.  There  is  represented  in  some  measure  that  which 
St.  Peter  here  intends,  although  it  is  not  perfectly  set 
forth,  for  this  courteousness  is  to  be  considered  obliga- 
tory upon  every  one  individually.  Hence  you  see  the 
true  nature  of  love,  and  how  excellent  a  people  Chris- 
tians should  be.  The  angels  in  heaven  live  with  one 
another  thus,  and  so  should  it  also,  in  justice,  be  on 
earth  ;  but  rarely  does  it  take  place. 

As  St.  Peter  has  already  said,  that  the  man  servant 
and  the  maid  servant,  the  husband  and  wife,  should  so 
conduct  themselves  that  each  should  attend  to  that 
business  of  his  own  which  he  is  to  discharge,  so  would 
He  have  us  all  do  generally,  one  with  another.  There- 
fore, if  you  would  be  certain  and  assured  that  you  are 
doing  an  excellent  deed,  that  is  pleasing  to  God,  set 
yourself  in  God's  name  in  opposition  to  whatever  has 
been  preached  in  the  devil's  name,  whereby  the  world 
walks  and  seeks  to  merit  heaven.  For  how  can  you  be 
better  assured  that  you  are  acceptable  with  God,  tlian 


CHAP.  III.]  GENEKAL   OF   ST.    PETER.  165 

when  you  observe,  as  lie  here  says,  the  works  which  a 
man  should  do,  the  conduct  which  every  one  should 
lead,  that  he  be  compassionate,  brotherly  affectionate, 
heartily  kind,  courteous  ?  In  this  he  says  nothing  of 
those  fool- works  whereof  we  have  been  taught ;  says 
not,  "  build  churches,  found  masses,  be  a  priest,  wear  a 
cowl,  vow  chastity,  <fec.  ;"  but  this  is  his  language : 
See  to  it  that  you  be  courteous.  These  are  truly  pre- 
cious, golden  deeds,  precious  stones  and  pearls,  which 
are  well  pleasing  to  God. 

But  with  this  the  devil  cannot  rest  content,  for  he 
knows  that  thereby  his  interests  are  thrown  to  the 
ground  ;  therefore  he  devises  what  he  can  to  suppress 
such  doctrine,  incites  monks  and  priests  to  cry  out, 
"  Do  you  say  that  our  matters  are  nothing  at  all  ? 
that  is  for  you  to  talk  like  the  devil."  But  reply  to 
them  then,  Do  you  not  know  that  there  must  be  good 
works,  whereof  St.  Peter  here  speaks, — to  wit,  that  we 
be  brotherly  affectionate,  heartily  kind,  and  courteous  ? 
if  these  are  the  best,  as  must  be  confessed,  you  must  be 
false  in  regard  to  your  works,  if  you  think  they  are 
better.  I  am  really  astonished  that  such  blindness 
could  come  upon  us  ;  for  Thomas,  the  preaching  monk, 
has  written,  and  says,  shamelessly,  that  monks  and 
priests  are  \p.  a  better  state  than  ordinary  Christians. 
This  the  high  schools  have  confirmed,  and  men  have 
been  Doctorated  for  it.     After  them  tlie  Pope  and  his 


166  THE   FIRST   EPISTLE  [CHAP.  III. 

multitude  have  gone,  and  have  exalted  those  to  be  saints, 
who  teach  such  doctrine. 

Therefore  understand  this,  as  I  have  said, — for  Christ 
Himself  and  all  His  Apostles  have  so  taught, — if  you 
would  do  the  most  excellent  good  works,  and  be  in  the 
best  condition  of  life,  you  will  find  them  nowhere  else 
but  in  faith  and  love  ;  that  is  the  highest  state  of  all. 
So  that  it  must  be  an  error,  when  they  choose  to  say, 
their  state  is  better  than  faith  and  love  ;  for  if  it  be  bet- 
ter than  faith,  it  is  better  than  God's  word,  but  if  it  be 
better  than  God's  word,  it  is  better  than  God  Himself. 
Therefore  Paul  has  truly  said,  that  Anti- Christ  sliould 
exalt  himself  before  God.  Be  informed  in  this  way 
so  as  to  judge  of  these  things  ;  where  love  and  friend- 
ship are  wanting,  there,  certainly,  all  works  are  con- 
demned and  trodden  under  foot.  Thus  we  see  why  St. 
Peter  has  so  confidently  expatiated  on  the  external 
character  of  a  truly  christian  life,  as  he  taught  us  above, 
in  a  masterly  manner,  how  the  inward  (spiritual)  life 
should  be  ordered  toward  God.  Wherefore  this  epistle 
is  to  be  regarded  as  a  truly  golden  epistle.  Whereupon 
it  follows,  further : 

V.  9.  Render  not  evil  for  evil,  nor  railing  for  railing, 
hut  on  the  other  hand  blessing,  and  know  thai  U^  <^^e  called 
thereunto,  that  ye  should  inherit  the  blessing.  But  this  is 
a  still  further  illustration  of  love,  showing  how  we 
should  act  toward  those  that  injure  and  persecute  u.-. 


CHAP.  III.]  GENERAL   OF   ST.    PETER.  167 

If  any  one  does  you  evil — this  is  his  meaning — do  him 
good  ;  if  any  one  rails  at  and  curses  you,  then  you  are  to 
oless  and  wish  him  well ;  for  this  is  an  important  part 
of  love.  0  Lord  God  !  what  a  rarity  such  Christians 
are !  But  why  should  we  return  good  for  evil  ?  Be- 
cause, says  he,  ye  are  called  thereunto  that  ye  should 
inherit  the  blessing,  so  that  ye  should  suffer  yourselves 
to  be  attracted  towards  it. 

In  the  Scriptures  we  Christians  are  called  a  people 
of  blessing,  or  a  blessed  people.  For  tlius  said  God  to 
Abraham,  Gen.  xii.  :  "  In  thy  seed  shall  all  nations  of 
the  earth  be  blessed."  Since  God  has  so  richly  shed 
down  this  blessing  upon  us,  in  that  He  takes  away  from 
us  all  the  malediction  and  the  curse  Avhich  we  have  de- 
rived rto  ourselves  from  our  first  parents,  as  well  as  that 
which  Moses  suffered  to  go  forth  upon  the  disobedient, 
so  that  we  are  now  filled  with  blessing,  we  ought  so  to 
conduct  ourselves  that  it  shall  be  said  of  us.  That  is  a 
blessed  people.  So  that  this  is  what  the  Apostle  here 
means  :  See,  God  has  shown  you  His  favor,  and  has 
taken  away  from  you  the  curse,  and  the  reviling  where- 
with you  have  dishonored  Him :  He  neither  imputes 
nor  punishes,  but  has  bestowed  upon  you  such  rich 
grace  and  blessing,  while  ye  were  only  worthy  of  all 
malediction,  inasmuch  as  ye  reviled  God  without  inter- 
mission (for  where  there  is  unbelief  the  heart  must  ever 
curse  God)  :  do  ye  also  as  has  been  done  toward  you  ; 
curse  not,  rail  not,  do  well,  speak  well,  even  though 


168  THE   FIRST   EPISTLE  [CHAP.  III. 

you  are  treated  ill,  and  endure  it  where  you  are  un- 
righteously used.  Hereupon  he  quotes  a  passage  out 
of  the  xxxiii.  Ps.,  where  the  prophet  David  speaks  thus : 

V.  10.  Whoso  will  love  life  and  see  good  days^  let  him 
keep  his  tongue  from  evil,  and  his  lips  that  they  do  not 
deceive.  That  is,  whoever  would  have  a  pleasure  and  a 
joy  in  life,  and  would  not  die  the  death,  but  see  good 
days,  so  that  it  shall  go  well  with  him,  let  him  keep 
his  tongue  that  it  speak  not  evil,  not  only  in  respect  to 
his  friends,  for  that  is  a  small  virtue  and  a  thing  which 
even  the  wickedest  of  all  may  do,  even  snakes  and 
vipers, — but  also,  he  says,  maintain  a  kind  spirit,  and 
keep  your  tongue  silent  even  against  your  enemies, 
though  you  are  even  incited  thereto — though  you  have 
cause  to  rail  and  speak  evil. 

Besides,  keep  your  lips,  he  says,  that  they  do  not 
deceive.  There  are  probably  many  who  give  good 
words,  and  say  good  morning  to  their  neighbor,  but 
they  think  in  their  heart,  The  devil  take  you.  These 
are  people  who  have  not  inherited  the  blessing  ;  they 
are  the  evil  fruit  of  an  evil  tree.  Therefore  St.  Peter 
has  introduced  a  passage  which  refers  to  works,  even 
to  their  root, — that  is,  what  springs  from  within  out  of 
the  heart.*  Furthermore,  the  passage  in  the  prophet 
says  : 

*  ''A  guileful  heart  makes  guileful  tongue  and  lips.  It  is  the  work- 
house where  is  the  forge  of  deceits  and  slanders,  and  other  evil  speak- 
ings ;  aud  the  tongue  is  only  the  outer  shop  where  tliey  are  vended. 


CHAP.  III.]  THE    FIKST    EPISTLE  169 

Y.  11.  Let  him  turn  away  from  evil  and  do  good,  let 
him  seek  'peace  and  pursue  after  it,  for  the  eyes  of  the  Lord 
behold  the  righteous.     The  world  considers  this  as  satis- 
factiou  wheu  one  man  does  injustice  to  another,  that 
his  head  should  be  cut  off.     But  this  brings  one  none 
the  nearer  to  peace.   For  no  king,  even,  ever  attained  to 
be  in  peace  before  his  enemies.    The  Roman  empire  was 
so  powerful  that  it  struck  down  all  that  set  itself 
against  it ;  still  for  all  this  it  could  not  be  preserved. 
Therefore  this  method  is  of  no  avail  toward  reaching 
peace,  for  though  a  man  should  prostrate  and  silence 
his  foe,  ten  and  twenty  rise  up  again  after  it,  till  at 
length  he  is  compelled  to  yield.     But  he  who  seeks 
after  the  true  peace,  and  moreover  would  find  it,  let  him 
restrain  his  tongue  ;  let  him  turn  away  from  evil  and  do 
good  :  this  is  a  course  different  from  that  which  the 
world  pursues.     To  turn  from  evil  and  to  do  good  is, 
that  when  a  man  hears  evil  words,  he  be  able  to  overlook 
the  wickedness  and  injustice.     Seek  thus  after  peace,  so 
shall  you  find  it ;  when  your  enemy  has  wasted  his  breath 
and  done  all  that  he  can,  if  you  hear  him,  but  rail  and 
rant  not  back,  he  must  subdue  himself  by  his  own 
violence.   For  thus  Christ  also  on  the  cross  subdued  his 
enemies,  not  by  the  sword  or  by  violence.     Therefore 
is  it  a  saying,  which  should  be  written  with  gold,  where 

and  the  lips  the  door  of  it.  So  then  such  ware  as  is  made  within,  such 
and  no  other  can  be  set  out.  That  which  the  heart  is  full  of,  runs  over 
by  the  tong-ue." — Leighton. 

S! 


170  THE   FIRST   EPISTLE  [CHAP.  III. 

it  says,  "  Striking  back  again  makes  hatred,  and  who- 
ever strikes  back  again  is  unjust."  Thence  it  must  fol- 
low that  not  to  strike  back  again  makes  peace.  But 
how  can  this  be  ?  Is  it  then  a  thing  not  human  ?  Cer- 
tainly it  does  not  accord  with  human  nature ;  but  if 
you  in  this  manner  suffer  unjustly  and  do  not  strike 
back  again,  but  let  the  matter  go,  it  shall  come  to  pass 
as  hereafter  follows  : 

V.  12.  21ie  eyes  of  the  Lord  are  over  the  righteous,  and 
his  ears  are  open  to  their  cry^  hut  the  face  of  the  Lord  is 
against  those  that  do  evil.  If  you  do  not  revenge  your- 
self and  do  not  repay  evil  with  evil,  there  is  the  Lord 
in  heaven  above  who  cannot  tolerate  wrong,  wherefore 
he  that  does  not  strike  back  must  have  his  right. 
These  He  beholds  ;  their  prayer  reaches  His  ear  ;  He 
is  our  protector  and  will  not  forget  us,  while  if  we  can- 
not escape  from  His  eyes,  we  should  comfort  ourselvc:^ 
with  the  thought : — that  is,  this  should  induce  a  chris- 
tian man  to  endure  all  injustice  with  patience,  and  not 
return  evil.  If  1  properly  reflect,  I  see  that  the  soul 
which  does  me  wrong  must  burn  forever  in  hell-fire. 
Therefore  a  christian  heart  should  speak  on  this  wise  : 
Dear  Father,  since  this  man  falls  so  sadly  under  Thy 
wrath  and  so  miserably  throws  himself  into  hell-fire,  I 
pray  that  Thou  wouldest  forgive  him,  and  do  to  him 
even  as  Thou  hast  done  toward  me  since  Thou  hast  res- 
cued me  from  condemnation.     But  how^  comes  this? 


CHAP.  III.]  GENERAL   OF   ST.    PETER.  171 

Thus  :  while  He  graciously  looks  down  upon  the  right- 
eous, He  also  looks  angrily  at  the  wicked,  wrinkles 
His  brow  and  turns  it  in  indignation  upon  them  ;  when 
we  know  then  that  He  looks  upon  us  graciously  and 
upon  them  with  disfavor,  we  ought  to  suffer  ourselves 
to  pity  and  mourn  for  them,  and  pray  for  them. 
Furthermore,  St.  Peter  says  : 

V.  13  -  16.  And  who  is  he  that  icill  harm  you.,  if  ye 
follow  after  that  which  is  good.  Blessed  are  ye  if  ye 
suffer  for  righteousness''  sake^  and  he  not  afraid  for  their 
terror.,  neither  be  troubled,  but  sanctify  the  Lord  God  in 
your  hearts.  But  be  ready  cdicays  to  give  an  answer  to 
every  man  who  asks  the  reason  of  the  hope  that  is  in  you, 
loith  meekness  and  fear,  and  have  a  good  conscience,  so 
that  they  who  speak  of  you  as  evil-doers  may  be  put  to 
shame,  that  they  have  falsely  accused  your  good  conduct 
in  Christ. 

» 
If  we  follow  after  that  which  is  good, — that  is,  do  not 

reward  evil  with  evil,  but  are  heartily  kind  and  cour- 
teous, etc.,  then  there  is  none  that  can  injure  us.  For 
though  our  honor,  life  and  property  should  be  taken 
away,  we  are  still  uninjured.  Hence  we  have  a  bles- 
sing that  is  incomparable, — one  that  none  can  take 
from  us.  Those  who  persecute  us  have  nothing  but 
prosperity  on  earth,  but  thereafter,  eternal  condem- 
nation, while  we  have  an  eternal,  incorruptible  good, 
although  we  lose  a  small  temporal  blessing. 

V.  14:.  Blessed  are  ye  if  ye  suffer  for  rigJiteou-^ness''  sahe. 


172  THE   FIRST   EPISTLE  [CHAP.  III. 

Not  only,  he  says,  can  no  one  injure  you  if  ye  suifer  for 
God's  sake,  but  blessed  are  ye  also,  and  ye  should  re- 
joice that  ye  are  to  suffer,  as  Christ  also  says  in  the 
sixth  of  Matthew  :  "  Happy  are  ye  when  men  deride 
and  persecute  you  for  my  sake,  and  speak  every  kind 
of  evil  against  you,  falsely  ;  rejoice,  and  be  exceeding 
glad."  Whoever  then  apprehends  this,  that  it  is  the 
Lord  speaks  such  things,  and  so  tenderly  speaks  com- 
fort to  his  heart,  he  stands  well ;  but  to  whom  this  does 
not  bring  strength,  it  makes  him  sad  and  complaining, 
— he  may  well  remain  unstrengthened. 

But  he  7iot  afraid  of  their  terror^  neither  he  troubled^  hut 
sanctify  God  in  your  hearts.  Here  St.  Feter  quotes  a 
passage  from  Isaiah  viii.,  where  he  says  :  "  Be  not 
afraid  of  their  terror,  nor  be  frightened,  but  sanctify 
the  Lord  in  your  hearts,  and  let  Him  be  your  fear  and 
your  dread."  There  we  have  a  great  support  and  re- 
liance,, whereon  we  may  trust,  assured  that  no  one  can 
injure  us.  Let  the  world  terrify,  defy  and  threaten  as 
long  as  it  will,  it  must  have  an  end,  but  our  confidence 
and  joy  shall  have  no  end  ;  thus  we  shall  have  no  fear 
on  account  of  the  world,  but  shall  be  courageous, 
while  before  God  we  shall  humble  ourselves  and  be 
afraid. 

But  how  does  St.  Peter  mean  that  we  should  sanctify 
God  ;  how  can  we  sanctify  Him  ;  must  He  not  sanctify 
us  ?     Answer.     So  it  is  that  we  pray,  even  in  the  Our 


CHAP.  III.]  GENERAL    OF   ST.    PETER.  178 

Father,  hallowed  he  Thy  name,  that  we  may  sanctify  His 
name,  as  He  Himself  also  sanctifies  His  name.  There- 
fore it  comes  to  this  :  in  your  hearts,  says  St.  Peter,  ye 
are  to  sanctify  Him  ;  that  is,  if  the  Lord  our  God  ap- 
points anything  for  us,  be  it  good  or  evil,  bring  it 
weal  or  woe,  be  it  shame  or  honor,  prosperity  or  ad- 
versity, I  am  not  only  to  consider  it  as  good,  but  even 
as  holy,  and  say,  this  is  nothing  but  a  precious  blessing 
that  I  am  unworthy  of,  that  comes  to  me.  So  the 
prophet  says,  Ps.  cxliv.,  "  The  Lord  is  righteous  in  all 
His  ways,  and  holy  in  all  His  works."  If  I  give  God 
praise  in  regard  to  such  matters,  and  consider  such 
doings  good,  holy,  and  excellent,  then  I  sanctify  Him 
in  my  heart.  But  they  wlio  scruple  accounts,  and  com- 
plain that  they  are  treated  unjustly,  and  say  God  sleeps, 
and  will  not  help  tlie  just  and  restrain  tlie  unjust, 
these  dishonor  Him,  and  account  Him  neither  just  nor 
holy.  But  whoever  is  a  Christian,  should  attribute 
righteousness  to  God  and  unrighteousness  to  himself— 
should  account  God  holy  and  himself  unholy,  and  say 
that  He  in  all  His  deeds  and  works  is  holy  and  just ; 
this  is  what  he  requires.  So  also  speaks  the .  prophet 
Daniel,  iii.  :  "  0  Lord,  in  all  that  Thou  hast  done 
towards  us,  hast  Thou  done  in  accordance  with  right 
and  true  judgment.  For  we  have  sinned  ;  therefore  be 
the  shame  ours,  but  the  honor  and  the  praise  Thine." 
If  we  sing,  Deo  gratias,  and  Te  Deum  laudamus,  and 
say,  God  be  praised  and  blessed,  when  misfortune  over- 


174  THE   FIRST   EPISTLE  [CHAP.  III. 

takes  us,  that  is  called  by  Peter  and  Isaiah  a  true  hal- 
lowing of  the  Lord.  But  He  does  not  by  this  require 
that  you  should  say  that  he  has  done  right  and  well 
who  has  injured  you,  for  it  is  an  entirely  different 
judgment  between  God  and  me,  and  between  me  and 
thee.  I  may  have  within  me  anger,  hatred,  and 
wicked  lusts,  whereby  I  intend  your  damage,  while  you 
are  yet  still  uninjured,  and  have  nothing  against  me  ; 
but  in  God's  sight  I  am  unjust, — therefore  He  does 
right  if  He  punishes  me  ;  I  have  well  deserved  it.  If 
he  does  not  punish  me  in  that  case.  He  shows  me  favor, 
and  thus  is  right  in  every  way.  But  it  does  not  there- 
fore follow.,  that  he  does  right  who  persecutes  me,  for 
I  have  not  done  injustice  to  him  as  I  have  done  in  the 
sight  of  God.  If  God  sends  the  devil  or  wicked  peo- 
ple upon  you  to  punish  you,  He  uses  them  to  this  end, 
that  they  may  execute  His  righteousness  ;  so  wicked 
wretches  and  injustice  itself  become  a  blessing. 

So  we  read  in  Ezekiel,  xxix.,  of  King  Nebuchad- 
nezzar, where  God  says  by  the  prophet,  "  Knowest 
thou  not  that  he  is  My  servant,  and  has  served  Me  ?" 
Now,  says  he,  "  I  must  give  him  his  hire,  I  have  not 
paid  him  as  yet  ;  well,  then,  I  will  give  him  Egypt, 
and  that  shall  be  his  hire."  The  king  had  no  riglit  to 
the  land,  but  God  had  a  right  to  it,  so  that  He  might 
punish  it  through  him  ;  for,  in  order  that  even  wicked 
wretches  might  serve  Him,  and  eat  not  their  bread  in 
vain.  He  gives  them  enough,  lets  them  serve  Him  even 


CBAP.  III.]  GENERAL    OF   ST.    PETER.  175 

to  this  end,  that  they  persecute  His  saints.  Here 
reason  is  at  fault,  and  thinks  He  does  well  and  right 
when  He  remunerates  them  only  here  ;  gives  them 
much  land,  and  does  it  simply  for  this,  to  make  them 
His  executioners,  and  persecutors  of  pious  Chris- 
tians. 

But  when  you  endure  and  sanctify  God,  and  say.  Just 
Lord,  then  you  do  well,  while  He  casts  them  into  hell 
and  punishes  them  because  they  have  done  wickedly, 
but  takes  you  into  His  favor  and  gives  you — Eternal 
Salvation.  Therefore  let  Him  manage  them  ;  He  will 
give  a  just  reward. 

Of  this  we  have  an  example  in  holy  Job,  when  all 
his  cattle  and  all  his  sons  were  slain,  and  his  property 
was  taken  away ;  when  he  said,  "  The  Lord  gave  and  the 
Lord  hath  taken  away  ;  as  it  was  well  pleasing  to  God, 
so  has  it  been  ordered,  therefore  praised  be  His  name." 
And  when  his  wife  came,  deriding  him,  and  railed  at 
him,  and  said  :  "  See  !  what  hast  thou  now,  abiding  in 
thitie  integrity  ?  Curse  God  and  die  :"  then  he  answered 
her — "  Thou  hast  spoken  like  a  foolish  woman  :  are 
we  to  receive  good  at  God's  hands, — why  should  we  not 
also  receive  evil  from  Him,  for  He  hath  done  as  it 
hath  pleased  Him  ?  God  hath  given,  and  God  hath  taken 
away,"  he  says  ;  not  God  has  given  it,  the  devil  hath 
taken  it  away,  while  yet  it  was  the  devil  that  did  it. 
This  man  truly  sanctified  the  Lord  ;  therefore  is  he  so 
highly  praised  and  exalted  of  God.    It  follows,  further  : 


176  THE    FIRST    EPISTLK  [CHAP.  ITl, 

V.  15.  But  he  always  ready  to  give  an  aunocr  to  every 
man  that  asheth  you^  the  reason  of  the  hope  that  is  in  you. 
We  must  here  acknowledge  that  St.  Peter  addressed 
these  words  to  all  Christians,  clergy  and  laity,  male 
and  female,  young  and  old,  of  whatever  state  or  condi- 
tion they  may  be.  From  thence  it  will  follow  that 
every  Christian  should  know  the  ground  and  reason 
of  his  faith,  and  be  able  to  maintain  and  defend  it 
where  it  is  necessary.  But  up  to  this  time,  the  idea 
that  the  laity  should  read  the  Scriptures  has  been 
treated  with  derision.  For  in  this  matter  tlie  devil 
has  hit  on  a  fine  measure,  in  tearing  the  Bible  out  of  the 
hands  of  the  laity, — and  this  is  what  he  has  thought : 
"  If  I  can  keep  the  laity  from  reading  the  Scripture,  I 
will  then  bring  the  priests  over  from  the  Bible  to  Aris- 
totle, so  that  gossip  they  what  they  will,  the  laity  must 
hear  just  what  they  set  forth  ;  while  if  the  laity  should 
read  the  Scripture,  the  priests  must  study  it  too,  in 
order  that  they  may  not  be  detected  and  overcome." 
But  look  you  now  at  what  St.  Peter  tells  us  all,  that 
we  should  give  answer  and  show  reason  for  our  faith. 
When  you  come  to  die  I  shall  not  be  with  you,  neither 
will  the  Pope  ;  and  if  you  know  but  this  one  reason  of 
your  hope,  and  say,  "  I  will  believe  as  the  Councils,  the 
Pope  and  the  Fathers  believed,"  then  the  devil  will 
answer,  "  Yes  !  but  how  if  they  were  in  error  ?"  Then 
will  he  have  won,  and  will  drag  you  down  to  hell. 
Therefore  must  we  know  what  we  believed,— namely, 


CHAP.  111.]  GENERAL   OF   ST.    PETER.  177 

what  God's  word  is,  not  what  the  Pope  and  holy 
Fathers  believe  or  say.  For  you  must  not  put  your 
faith  at  all  in  persons — but  on  the  word  of  God. 

So  when  any  one  assaults  you,  and  like  a  heretic 
asks  why  you  believe  that  you  shall  be  saved  through 
faith — here  is  your  answer :  "  Because  I  have  God's 
word  and  the  clear  declarations  of  Scripture."  As 
St.  Paul  says,  ''  The  just  shall  live  by  faith,"  and  St. 
Peter,  where  he  speaks  of  Christ,  the  living  stone,  quot- 
ing from  the  prophet  Isaiah,  "  Whosoever  believeth  on 
him  shall  not  be  confounded  ;  thereon  do  I  build,  and 
know  that  the  word  will  not  deceive  me."  But  if  you 
will  speak  like  other  fools,  "  Yes,  we  will  hear  how  the 
council  decides,  and  with  that  we  will  abide,"  then 
are  you  lost.  Wherefore  you  should  say,  "  Why  do  I 
then  ask  what  this  one  or  that  believes  or  decides  ;  if 
they  speak  not  the  word  of  God,  I  will  liear  nothing 
of  it." 

Do  you  say,  then,  it  is  so  confusedly  difficult  a  thing, 
that  no  one  knows  what  he  should  believe,  and  so  one 
must  wait  till  it  is  determined  what  one  shall  hold  ? 
Answer.  Then  will  you  go  to  the  devil  the  while  ;  for 
if  it  comes  to  the  pinch,  and  you  should  die  and  not 
know  what  you  should  believe,  neither  I  nor  any  one 
else  could  help  you.  Therefore  you  must  know  for 
yourself,  and  turn  to  no  one  else,  and  cling  fast  to  the 
word  of  God,  if  you  would  escape  hell.  And  for  such 
as  cannot  read,  it  is  necessary  that  they  should  learn 
8* 


178  THE   FIRST   EPISTLE  [CHAP.  III. 

and  retain  some  clear  texts  out  of  the  Scriptures — one 
or  two  at  least,  and  on  this  ground  abide  firmly.  As 
for  instance  that  of  Gen.  xii.,  where  God  says  to  Abra- 
ham, '•  In  thy  seed  shall  all  the  nations  of  the  earth  be 
blessed."  If  you  have  learned  that,  you  may  stand 
thereon  and  say,  "  Though  Pope,  bishop,  and  all  the 
councils  stood  yonder  and  said  otherwise,  yet  do  I 
declare  this  is  God's  word,  that  I  can  rely  on,  and  that 
does  not  deceive  me."  Whoever  will  be  blessed,  must 
be  blessed  through  "  the  seed,"  and  whoever  is  blessed 
is  ransomed  from  the  curse — that  is,  from  sin,  death  and 
hell.  Therefore  it  follows,  from  the  text — whoever  will 
not  be  blessed  through  "  the  seed,"  he  must  be  lost. 
So  that  my  works  or  good  deeds  can  help  nothing  to 
my  salvation. 

To  the  same  end  also  is  the  passage  out  of  Peter, — 
"Whoever  believeth  on  this  stone  shall  not  be 
ashamed."  If  any  one  now  come  upon  you  and  de- 
mand a  reason  of  your  faith,  reply — "  There  stands  the 
foundation  which  cannot  fail  me,  and  so  I  ask  nothing 
beside,  what  Pope  or  bishop  teach  or  decide."  Were 
they  true  bishops,  then  would  they  teach  the  ground 
of  faith  that  they  knew  was  common  to  all  Christians. 
Yet  they  rush  on  and  cry  out,  "  The  laity  must  not  be 
suffered  to  read  the  Scriptures." 

So  if  any  one  asks  you  whether  you  will  have  the 
Pope  for  a  head,  say  at  once,  "  I  will  hold  him  for  a 
head — a  head  of  wickedness  and  profligacy."    And  for 


CHAP.  III.I  GENERAL    OF    ST.    PETER.  179 

this  I  have  a  passage  of  St.  Paul,  I.  Tim.  iv.  :  "  There 
shall  come  the  devil's  teachers  forbidding  to  marry, 
and  commanding  to  abstain  from  meats  which  God  has 
created."  That  too  has  the  Pope  forbidden,  as  is  the 
case  now.  Therefore  is  he  Antichrist.  For  what 
Christ  commands  and  teaches,  that  he  transgresses. 
What  Christ  makes  free,  that  the  Pope  binds — Christ 
says,  it  is  not  sin,  while  the  Pope  rejoins,  it  is  sin. 

Thus  should  one  now  learn  to  give  a  reason  and  an- 
swer for  his  faith.  For  though  not  now,  yet  at  death 
will  it  come  to  pass,  that  the  devil  will  come  forward 
and  say,  ''  Why  have  you  charged  the  Pope  as  Anti- 
christ ?"  If  you  are  not  prepared  and  ready  to  show 
reason,  then  has  he  won.  It  is  as  much  as  though  St. 
Peter  had  said.  If  ye  will  now  be  faithful,  ye  must 
henceforth  endure  much  persecution.  But  in  this  per- 
secution must  you  have  a  hope,  and  must  look  for 
Eternal  life.  If  one  asks  you  why  you  hope  for  it, 
then  you  must  have  the  word  of  God,  on  which  you 
can  build. 

But  the  sophists  also  have  perverted,  the  text,  as 
though  one  was  to  convince  heretics  with  reason,  and  out 
of  the  natural  light  of  Aristotle  ;  therefore  (say  they) 
it  is  here  rendered  in  the  Latin,  Rationem  reddere,  as 
if  St.  Peter  had  thought  it  should  be  done  with  human 
reason.  Because,  say  they,  the  Scriptures  are  far  too 
inconclusive  that  from  them  we  should  silence  heretics. 
The  method  by  which  (according  to  them)  it  must  be 


180  THE    FIRST   EPISTLE  [CHAP.  III. 

shown  that  the  faith  is  a  right  one,  must  agree  with 
reason,  and  come  forth  from  the  brain  ;  whereas,  our 
faith  is  above  reason,  and  subject  to  God  alone. 
Therefore,  if  the  people  will  not  believe,  then  should 
you  be  silent ;  for  you  are  not  responsible  for  compel- 
ling them  to  hold  the  Scriptures  as  the  word  or  book 
of  God.  It  is  enough  that  you  give  your  reason  there- 
from. But  if  they  take  exceptions,  and  say,  "  You 
preach  that  one  should  not  hold  to  man's  doctrine, 
while  Peter  and  Paul,  and  Christ  even,  were  men  :" 
when  you  hear  people  of  this  stamp,  who  are  so  blind 
and  obtuse  tjhat  they  deny  that  this  is  God's  word,  or 
doubt  of  it,  then  be  silent — speak  no  more  Avith  them, 
and  let  them  go — only  say,  "  I  will  give  you  my 
reasons  out  of  Scripture.  If  you  will  believe  that,  it 
is  well ;  if  not,  I  will  give  you  no  others."  But  do 
you  say,  "Must  God's  word  be  treated  with  such 
shame  ?"  Leave  that  to  God.  So  you  see  that  this 
matter  should  be  well  apprehended,  and  we  should 
know  how  to  meet  those  who  now  rise  up  and  present 
such  objections. — It  follows  : 

With  meekness  and  fear.  That  is,  if  you  are  exam- 
ined and  questioned  of  your  faith,  you  should  not 
answer  with  haughty  words,  and  proceed  in  the  mat- 
ter with  contempt  and  violence,  as  if  you  would  tear 
up  a  tree  by  the  roots,  but  with  such  fear  and  humility 
as  if  you  stood  before  God's  tribunal,  and  were  there 


CHAP.  III.]  GENEEAL    OF   ST.    PETEK.  181 

to  give  answer  ;  for  if  it  were  now  to  happen  that  you 
should  be  examined  before  king  and  princes,  and  had 
well  prepared  yourself  a  long  time  therefor  with  re- 
plies, and  thus  thinking  with  yourself,  "  Deliberate,  I 
will  answer  him  correctly,"  then  shall  it  be  a  happy 
experience  for  you, — though  the  devil  take  the  sword 
out  of  your  hands,  and  give  you  a  blow,  so  that  you 
stand  in  shame,  and  have  put  on  your  armor  in  vain, 
and  he  can  fairly  take  out  of  your  hands  the  reply  you 
have  carefully  composed,  so  that  it  fails  you  even 
though  you  have  it  fairly  in  your  mind,  because  he  has 
beforehand  tracked  out  your  thoughts.  Even  this 
God  suffers  to  take  place,  that  he  may  subdue  your 
pride  and  make  you  humble. 

So,  if  you  would  avoid  such  an  experience,  you  must 
stand  in  fear,  and  not  rely  on  your  own  strengtli,  but 
on  the  word  and  promise  of  Christ,  Matt.  x.  19 — 
"  But  when  they  deliver  you  up,  take  no  thought  how 
or  w^hat  ye  shall  speak,  for  it  shall  be  given  you  in 
that  same  hour  what  ye  shall  speak  ;  for  it  is  not  ye 
that  speak,  but  the  Spirit  of  your  Father  which  speak- 
eth  in  you."  It  is  right,  when  you  are  to  answer,  that 
you  should  prepare  yourself  well  with  passages  out  of 
Scripture ;  but  beware  that  you  do  not  insist  thereon 
with  a  proud  spirit,  since  God  will  even  take  the  most 
forcible  reply  out  of  your  mouth  and  memory,  though 
you  were  previously  prepared  with  all  your  replies. 
Therefore,  fear  is  proper.     And  so,  if  your  are  sum- 


182  THE    FIRST   EPISTLE  [CHAP.  III. 

moiied,  then  may  you  answer  for  yourself  before 
princes  and  lords,  and  even  the  devil  himself.  Only 
beware  that  it  be  not  the  vanity  of  men,  but  the  word 
of  God. 

V.  16.  Having  a  good  conscience^  that  luhereas  they 
speak  evil  of  you  as  of  evil-doers,  they  may  be  ashamed 
that  falsely  accuse  your  good  conversation  in  Christ.  Of 
tliis  St.  Paul  has  already  spoken  above.  We  cannot 
disregard  it.  If  we  will  follow  the  Gospel,  then  must 
we  be  despised  and  condemned  by  the  world,  so  that 
men  shall  hold  us  as  contemptible  rabble.  But  let  the 
devil  and  all  the  world  rave  and  rage— let  them  abuse 
as  they  will,  yet  they  shall  at  last  be  made  to  under- 
stand, with  shame,  that  they  have  injured  and  defamed 
us,  when  that  day  shall  arrive,— as  St.  Peter  has  said 
above, — in  which  we  shall  be  secure,  and  stand  up 
with  a  good  conscience.  These  are,  in  every  respect, 
suitable  and  forcible  replies,  which  can  comfort  us 
and  make  us  courageous,  and  yet  go  on  circumspectly, 
with  fear. 

V.  17,  18.  For  it  is  better,  if  the  imll  of  God  be  so, 
that  ye  suffer  for  well-doing  than  for  evil-doing.  For 
Christ  also  hath  once  suffered  for  our  sins,  the  just  for 
the  unjust,  that  he  might  bring  us  to  God,  being  put  to 
death  in  the  flesh,  but  quickened  by  the  Spirit. 

It  will  not,  then,  be  the  case  that  they  who  shall 
reach  heaven  shall  have  prosperity  on  eartli,  while 


CHAP.  Ill/  GENERAL   OF   ST.    PETER. 


183 


even  those  who  do  not  arrive  at  heaven  may  not  have 
prosperity.  For  that  which  God  said  to  Adam  is  im- 
posed on  all  men—"  In  the  sweat  of  thy  bi^ow  shalt 
thou  eat  thy  bread  ;"  and  to  the  woman  :  "  In  sorrow 
Shalt  thou  bring  forth  children."  Since,  now,  adver- 
sity is  imposed  in  common  upon  us  all,  how  much  more 
must  we  bear  the  cross  if  we  would  attain  to  eternal 
life.  Therefore,  he  says,  since  God  will  have  it  so,  it 
is  better  that  ye  suffer  for  well-doing.  They  who  suf- 
fer for  evil-doing  have  an  evil  conscience,  and  have 
double  punishment.  But  Christians  have  only  the 
half  of  it.  Outwardly,  they  have  suffering  ;  but  in- 
wardly, comfort. 

Yet  has  he  here  set  a  limit,— as  he  also  has  said 
above,— if  a  case  should  occur  of  such  severity  as  the 
Donatists  experienced,  of  whom  Augustine  writes,  who 
took  such  a  resolution  that,  stung  by  their  sufferings, 
they  committed  suicide,  and  threw  themselves  into  the 

sea. 

It  is  not  the  will  of  God  that  we  seek  out,  and  even 
invite,  calamity.  Go  thou  on  in  faith  and  love.  If 
the  cross  comes,  take  it  up  ;  if  it  comes  not,  seek  not 

for  it. 

Therefore  these  modern  spirits  commit  sin,  in  that 
they  lash  and  beat  themselves,  or  subject  themselves 
to  torture,  and  so  would  storm  heaven. 

This  has  Paul  also  forbidden,  in  Col.  iii.,  where  he 
speaks  of  such  saints  as  walk  in  a  self-chosen  spiritual- 


184  THE   FIRST   EPISTLE  [CHAP.  III. 

ity  and  humility,  and  spare  not  their  body.  We 
should  also  restrain  the  body  that  it  do  not  become 
too  wanton,  yet  not  so  as  to  destroy  it ;  and  we  should 
submit  to  suffer  if  another  sends  suffering  upon  us,  but 
not  of  our  own  choice  fall  therein.  That  will  be  the 
question  :  if  it  is  God's  will— if  he  has  appointed  it— 
for  then  it  is  better  ;  while  you  are  also  more  happy 
and  fortunate  that  you  suffer  for  well-doins;. 

V.  18.  Since  also  Christ  has  once  suffered  for  us — the 
just  for  the  unjust.     There  St.  Peter  presents  us,  once 
for  all,  the  example  of  our  Lord,  and  points  us  ever- 
more to   Christ's  sufferings,  that  we  all  of  us  alike 
should  follow  his  example,  so  that  he  need  not  present 
a  particular  exemplar  for  the  estate  of  every  indi- 
vidual.     For  just  as  Christ  is  held  forth  as  an  exam- 
ple to  all  in  the  whole  Church,  so  it  is  the  duty  of 
every  individual  in  the  Church,— each  for  himself,  of 
whatever  state  he  is,— tc  copy  thereafter,  in  his  whole 
life,  as  it  is  set  before  him  ;  and  he  will  speak  after 
this  manner  :    ''  Christ  was  righteous  ;  yet,  for  well- 
doing, has  suffered  on  our  account,  who  were  unjust ; 
yet  he  sought  not  the  cross,  but  waited  till  it  was 
God's  will  that  he  should  drink  the  cup  ;  and  it  is  He 
that  is  our  pattern,  whom  we  are  to  imitate."     Thus 
St.  Peter  here  adduces  this  one  example,  to  this  end 
especially,  that  he  may  thus  designate  that  by  which 
every  estate  is  to  be  instructed  ;  and  now  he  goes  on 
to  declare  more  fully  the  suffering  of  Christ. 


CHAP.  III.]  GENERAL   OF   ST.    PETER.  1S5 

But,  more  particularly,  he  says  here,  Christ  has  suf- 
fered once  for  us  ;  that  is,  Christ  has  borne  many  sins 
upon  himself,  but  he  has  not  done  it  in  such  a  way  as 
to  die  for  every  individual  sin  ^  but  at  once,  for  all 
together,  has  done  enough  to  remove  the  sins  of  all 
who  come  to  Him  and  believe  on  Him — who  are  now 
freed  from  death,  even  as  He  is  free. 

The  righteous  for  the  unrighteous^  he  says.  As  though 
he  had  said,  much  rather  should  we  suffer,  since  we  die 
for  the  righteous  who  had  no  sin.  But  He  has  died 
for  the  unrighteous,  and  for  the  sake  of  our  sins. 

That  He  might  present  us  to  God.  This  is  all  said  to 
teach  the  peculiar  end  of  Christ's  sufferings  ;  namely, 
that  He  died, — not  for  His  own  sake, — but  that  He 
might  present  us  to  God.  How  is  that  consistent ; 
has  He  not  offered  up  Himself?  Answer  :  It  is  true 
that  He  has  offered  up  Himself,  upon  the  Cross  for  us 
all  who  believe  on  Him,  but  at  the  same  time  He  offers 
up  us  with  Himself,  since  all  they  who  believe  on  Him 
must  suffer  also  with  Him,  and  be  put  to  death  after 
the  flesh  as  He  was.  Yet  God  has  taught  us,  that  thoy 
are  alive  in  the  spirit  and  yet  dead  in  the  flesh,  as  He 
afterwards  says.  But  are  we  a  sacrifice  with  Him  ? 
Then,  as  He  dies,  so  we  are  to  die  according  to  the 
flesh ;  as  He  lives  spiritually,  so  do  we  also  live  in  the 
spirit. 


186  THE   FIRST   EPISTLE  [CHAP.  III. 

Being  put  to  death  in  the  fleshy  hut  quickened  hy  the 
spirit.  The  word  flesh  is  common  in  Scripture,  as  is 
also  the  word  spirit,  and  the  Apostles  usually  present 
the  two  in  contrast.  The  sense  is  this :  that  Christ, 
thi'ough  His  sufferings,  is  taken  out  of  this  life  that 
consists  in  flesh  and  blood,  as  a  man  on  earth  who  lives 
by  flesh  and  blood, — walks  and  stands,  eats,  drinks, 
sleeps,  wakes,  sees,  hears,  grasps,  and  feels, — and,  in 
brief,  whatever  the  body  does  while  it  is  sensible  ;  to  all 
this  Christ  has  died.  This  is  what  St.  Paul  calls  a 
natural  body, — that  is,  the  animal  life.  In  the  flesh, 
not  after  tjie  flesh, — that  is,  in  the  natural  functions 
which  the  body  exercises,  to  such  life  is  He  dead  :  so 
that  this  life  has  now  ceased  with  Him,  and  He  is  now 
removed  to  another  life  and  quickened  after  the  spirit, 
passed  into  a  spiritual  and  supernatural  life,  that  com- 
prises in  itself  the  whole  life  that  Christ  now  has  in 
soul  and  body.  So  that  he  has  no  more  a  fleshy  body, 
but  a  spiritual  body. 

Thus  shall  it  be  with  us  at  the  last  day,  when  spiritual 
life  shall  succeed  to  flesh  and  blood  ;  for  my  body  and 
yours  will  live  without  food  and  drink, — will  not  pro- 
create, nor  digest,  nor  grow  wanton,  and  the  like,  but 
we  shall  inwardly  live  after  the  spirit, — and  the  body 
shall  be  purified  even  as  the  sun,  and  yet  far  brighter, 
while  there  probably  will  be  no  natural  flesh  and  blood, 
no  natural  or  corporeal  labor. 

This  is  the  language  of  St.  Paul  thereon,  1.  Cor.  xv. : 


CHAP.  III.]  GENERAL   OF   ST.    PETER.  187 

"  The  first  man  Adam  was  made  in  natural  life,  and  the 
last  in  spiritual  life."     And  it  follows,  "  As  we  have 
the  image  of  the  natural  man,  so  shall  we  also  bear  the 
image  of  the  spiritual  man."     From  Adam  we  derive 
all  our  natural  functions,  so  far  as  concerns  our  un- 
reasoning animal  nature  as  to  the  fine  senses.     But 
Christ  is  spiritual, — flesh  and  blood  not  according  to 
the  outward  sense  ;  He  neither  sleeps  nor  wakes,  and 
yet  knows  all  things,  and  is  present  in  the  ends  of  the 
earth.     Like  Him  shall  we  be  also,  for  He  is  the  first 
fruits,  the  earnest  and  first  born  (as  Paul  says)  of  the 
spiritual  life  ;  that  is,  He  is  the  first  who  has  risen  again 
and  entered  upon  a  spiritual  life.     Thus  Christ  lives 
now  after  the  spirit ;  that  is.  He  is  really  man,  but  has 
a  spiritual  body.     Therefore  we  should  not  here  ques- 
tion how  we  may  distinguish  flesh  and  spirit  from  one 
another,  but  understand  that  the  body  and  flesh  are 
spiritual,  and  the  spirit  is  in  the  body  and  with  the 
body.     For  St.  Peter  does  not  say  here  that  the  Holy 
Spirit  has  raised  Christ  up,  but  he  speaks  more  gener- 
ally ;  as  when  I  say  the  spirit,  the  flesh,  I  do  not  mean 
the  Holy  Spirit,  but  that  which  is  withiti  us,  that  which 
the  spirit  impels,  and  that  which  proceeds  from  the 
spirit.     It  follows,  now  : 

V.  19-21 .  By  which  same  He  also  icent  and  preached 
to  the  spirits  in  jyifison,  who  aforetime  were  disobedient^ 
when  the  long-svffering  of  God  waited  in  the  days  of 
Noah^  while  the  ark  was  preparing^  in  which  a  fiu\  that 


188  THE   FIRST   EPISTLE  [CHAP.  III. 

is,  eight  soids,  were  saved  hy  loater.  Which  now  also 
saves  you  through  baptism,  ichich  is  typical  hy  it ;  not 
the  putting  away  of  the  filth  of  the  flesh,  but  the  iinion 
of  a  good  conscience  loith  God,  through  the  insurrection 
of  Jesus  Christ,  who  has  ascended  to  heaven,  and  is 
seated  at  the  right  hand  of  God, — and  angels,  and  pi'in- 
cipalities,  and  poioers,  are  subject  to  Him. 

This  is  a  strange  text,  and  a  more  obscure  passage, 
perhaps,  than  any  other  in  the  New  Testament,  for  I  do 
not  certainly  know  what  St.  Peter  means.  At  first  sight, 
the  words  import  as  though  Christ  had  preached  to  the 
spirits, — that  is,  the  souls  which  were  formerly  unbe- 
lieving at  the  time  Noah  was  building  the  ark  ;  but  that 
I  cannot  understand,  I  cannot  even  explain  it.  There 
has  been  no  one  hitherto  who  has  explained  it.  Yet 
if  any  one  is  disposed  to  maintain  that  Christ,  after 
that  He  had  suffered  on  the  Cross,  descended  to  these 
souls  and  preached  to  them,  I  will  not  dispute  it.  It 
might  bear  such  a  rendering.  But  I  am  not  confident 
that  St.  Peter  would  say  this.  Yet  the  words  may 
well  be  understood  in  this  sense, — that  our  Lord,  after 
His  ascension  into  heaven,  came  and  preached  in  spirit, 
yet  so  that  His  preaching  was  not  in  the  body.  For 
He  speaks  not  with  bodily  voice  ;  He  does  no  more 
what  pertains  to  the  natural  functions  of  the  body. 
Whence  it  must  also  follow,  as  it  seems,  that  inasmuch 
as  He  preached  to  the  spirits  in  that  same  spiritual 
body,  such  preaching  must  also  be  a  spiritual  preaching, 
so  that  He  did  not  go  there  in  body  and  with  oral 


CHAP.  III.]  GENERAL   OF   ST.    PETER.  189 

preaching.  The  text  does  not  require  us  to  understand 
that  He  went  down  to  the  spirits  and  preached  to  them 
at  the  time  of  His  death.  For  this  is  his  language,  hy 
ivhich  same, — namely,  when  He  had  been  put  to  death  in 
the  flesh  and  made  alive  after  the  spirit, — that  is,  when 
He  had  unclothed  Himself  of  His  fleshly  existence  and 
had  passed  into  a  spiritual  being  and  life,  just  as  He 
now  is  in  heaven, — thus  He  went  and  preached.  Now 
He  certainly  could  not  have  gone  to  hell,  after  He 
had  taken  to  Himself  such  a  new  existence  ;  wherefore 
we  must  understand  that  He  has  done  it  after  His 
resurrection. 

While  the  words  only  require  that  he  be  considered 
as  speaking  here  of  spiritual  preaching,  we  may  rest  in 
this  view,  that  St.  Peter  speaks  of  the  office  that  Christ 
performs  by  means  of  external  preaching.  For  He 
commanded  the  Apostles  personally  to  preach  the  Gos- 
pel. But  with  the  word  preached  He  comes  Himself, 
and  is  spiritually  present  there,  and  speaks  and  preaches 
to  the  people  in  their  hearts  ;  just  as  the  Apostles  speak 
the  word  orally  and  in  body  to  the  ears,  so  He  preaches 
to  the  spirits  that  lie  captive  in  the  prison-liouse  of  the 
devil.  So  that  this  also  should  be  understood  spiritually, 
like  the  preaching. 

But  here  the  expression  follows,  to  the  spirits  which 
aforetime  luere  unbelieving,  <fec.  We  should  observe,  in 
accordance  with  the  divine  account,  that  in  that  state  of 
existence  in  which  Christ  is  at  present,  those  wlio  have 


190  THE    FIRST    EPISTLE  [CHAP.  III. 

fived  aforetime  and  those  that  are  living  now,  are  alike 
to  Him,  for  His  control  extends  itself  alike  over  dead 
and  living  :  and  in  that  life,  the  beginning,  middle  and 
end  of  the  world  are  all  in  one.  But  here  on  earth  it 
has  properly  a  measure,  so  that  one  age  passes  on  after 
another,  the  son  succeeds  the  father,  and  so  it  continues. 
But  to  give  an  illustration  :  If  a  high  wood  lies  before 
you,  or  you  look  upon  it  as  it  stretches  along  in  length 
before  you,  you  cannot  well  overlook  it ;  but  if  it  lies 
near  before  you,  and  you  stand  above  it  and  can  look 
down  directly  upon  it, 'then  you  have  it  in  full  view. 
So  it  is,  that  here  on  earth  we  can  form  no  conception 
of  this  life  (I  speak  of),  for  it  passes  on  (piecemeal  as 
it  were)  foot  by  foot,  to  the  last  day.  But  as  to  God, 
it  all  stands  in  a  moment.  For  with  Him  a  thousand 
years  are  as  one  day,  as  St.  Peter  says,  in  the  next 
Epistle.  Thus  the  first  man  is  just  as  near  to  Him  as 
the  last  that  shall  be  born,  and  He  sees  all  at  once,  just 
as  the  human  eye  can  bring  together  two  things  widely 
separated  at  a  single  glance.  So  the  sense  here  is  this, 
that  Christ  preaches  no  more  in  person,  but  is  present 
with  the  word  and  preaches  to  spirits,  spiritually,  in 
the  heart.  Yet  you  are  not  to  understand  that  He 
preaches  in  this  manner  to  all  spirits. 

But  to  what  spirits  has  he  preached  ?  To  those  who 
aforetime  were  unbelieving.  This  is  the  figure  of 
speech  which  is  called  Synecdoche.  That  is,  "  from  a 
part  the  whole"  {ex  parte  Mum), — that  is  to  say,  not 


CHAP.  III.]  GENERAL   OF   ST.    PETER.  191 

to  these  very  spirits,  but  to  those  who  are  like  them, 
and  are  just  as  unbelieving  as  they.  Thus  must  we 
look  away  from  this  outward,  to  that  inward  life. 

That  is  the  best  rendering,  as  I  think,  of  those  words 
of  St.  Peter  f  still  I  will  not  too  sti^enuoiisly  insist 
upon  it.  This  at  least  I  can  scarcely  believe,  that 
Christ  descended  to  those  souls  and  preached  to  them  ; 
while  the  Scripture  is  against  it,  and  declares  tliat 
every  one,  when  he  arrives  there,  must  receive  accord- 
ing as  he  has  believed  and  lived.  Besides,  while  it  is 
uncertain  what  is  the  state  of  the  dead,  we  cannot 
easily  explain  this  passage  as  one  that  refers  to  it. 
But  this  is  certain,  that  Christ  is  present  and  preaches 
in  the  heart,  wherever  a  preacher  of  God's  word  speaks 
to  the  ear.  Tlierefore  may  we  safely  draw  to  this  con- 
clusion :  let  him  to  whom  a  better  understanding  is 
manifest,  follow  the  same. 

This  is  the  summary  of  the  sense  which  I  have  ex- 
hibited :  Christ  has  ascended  to  heaven  and  preached 
to  the  spirits,— that  is,  to  human  souls  ;  among  which 

*  The  view  generally  taken  by  Protestant  expositors  of  this  passage 
is,  that  the  preaching  here  referred  to  took  place  in  the  clays  of  Noah, 
by  means  of  himself  or  others  who  were  inspired  by  God  to  teach  and 
warn.  Their  interpretation  would  be  in  effect,  -•'  For  Christ  also  suf- 
fered for  our  sins,  the  just  for  the  unjust  (that  he  might  bring  us  to 
God),  being  put  to  death  in  the  flesh,  but  quickened  by  tne  Spirit  'of 
God)!  By  which  Spirit  also  he  went  (formerly)  and  preached  to  the 
spirits  (now)  in  prison;  which  were  disobedient,  when  once  the  long- 
suffering  of  God  waited,  in  the  days  of  Noah,  (120  years.)  while  the 
ark  was  preparing,  wherein  few.  that  is,  eight  souls,-were  saved  by 
or  through  water." 


192  THE    FIRST   EPISTLE  [CHAP.  III. 

human  souls  have  been  the  unbelieving,  as  in  the  times 
of  Noah. 

V.  20.  It  contmues,~tuhe}i  once  the  long-suffering  of 
God  luaited  in  the  days  of  Noah,  ivhile  the  ark  icas 
preparing,  ivherein  feta,  that  is,  eight  souls,  icere  saved 
by  ivater.  Thus  does  St.  Peter  bring  us  into  the 
Scriptures,  that  we  may  study  therein  ;  and  gives  us 
an  illustration  out  of  them,  from  the  ark  of  Noah,  and 
interprets  this  same  figure.  For  it  is  pleasant  to  have 
one  bring  forward  illustrations  from  such  figures,  as 
St.  Paul  also  does  when  he  is  speaking,  Gal.  iv.,  of  the 
two  sons  of  Abraham,  and  the  two  women  ;  and  Christ, 
in  John  v.,  of  the  serpent  which  Moses  had  erected  in 
the  wilderness.  Such  comparisons,  when  well  drawn, 
are  delightful ;  wherefore  St.  Peter  introduces  tliis 
here,  that  we  may  be  able  to  comprehend  faith  imder 
a  pleasing  image. 

But  he  would  also  tell  us,  that  as  it  happened  when 
Noah  was  preparing  the  ark,  so  it  takes  place  now. 
As  he  took  refuge  in  the  ark  whicli  swam  upon  the 
waters,  so,  it  is  to  be  observed,  must  you  also  be  saved 
in  baptism.  Just  as  that  water  swallowed  up  all  that 
was  then  living,  of  man  and  beast,— so  baptism  also 
swallows  up  all  that  is  of  the  flesh  and  corriipt  nature, 
and  makes  spiritual  men.  But  we  rest  in  tlie  ark, 
which  means  the  Lord  Christ,  or  the  christian  Churcl), 
or  the  Gospel  that  Christ  preached,  or  the  body  of 


CHAP.  III.]  GENERAL   OF   ST.    PETER.  193 

Christ,  on  which  we  rest  by  faith,  and  are  saved  as 
Noah  in  the  ark.  You  also  perceive  how  the  image 
comprises  in  brief  what  belongs  to  faith  and  to  the 
cross,  to  life  and  death.  Where  there  are  only  those 
that  follow  Christ,  there  is  surely  a  christian  Church, 
where  all  that  springs  from  Adam,  and  whatever  is 
evil,  is  removed. 

V.  21.  TJie  like  figure  whereunto,  even  baptism,  doth 
noiv  save  us  ;  not  the  putting  aiuay  of  the  filth  of  thefiesh, 
hut  the  answer  of  a  good  conscience  toivard  God.  But 
you  are  not  kept  and  saved  by  merely  washing  away 
the  filth  of  the  flesh,  that  tlie  body  be  clean,  as  was  the 
practice  of  the  Jews  ;  such  purification  has  no  further 
value.  But  the  answer  of  a  good  conscience  toward 
God, — that  is,  that  you  feel  your  conscience  to  be  right- 
fully at  peace  within  you,  that  it  stands  in  harmony 
with  God,  and  can  say,  "  He  has  promised  to  me  that 
which  He  will  fulfil,  for  He  cannot  lie."  If  you  shall 
rely  upon  and  cleave  to  His  word,  then  shall  you  be 
preserved.  Faith,  alone,  is  the  band  whereby  we  shall^, 
be  held  ;  no  outward  work  which  you  can  do  will 
suffice. 

Throuyli  the  resurrection  of  Christ  Jesus.     This  St. 
Peter  adjoins,  in  order  to  explain  that  faith  which  rests       / 
on  the  fact  that  Christ  died,  descended  to  hell,  and  has      \ 
risen  again  from  the  dead.     Had  He  continued  subject 
9 


194  THE   FIRST   EPISTLE  [CHAP.  III. 

to  death,  it  would  not  have  advantaged  us  ;  but  since 
He  has  risen  and  sits  at  the  right  hand  of  God,  and 
suffers  this  to  be  proclaimed  to  us  so  that  we  may 
believe  on  Him,  we  have  a  union  with  God,  and  a  sure 
promise,  whereby  we  shall  be  saved  as  Noah  in  the 
ark.  Thus  has  St.  Peter  given  to  the  ark  a  spiritual 
significance  throughout,  within  which  is  not  flesh  and 
blood,  but  a  good  conscience  toward  God, — and  that 
is  faith. 

V.  22.  Who  is  gone  into  heaven,  and  is  on  the  right 
hand  of  God  ;  angels,  and  authorities,  and  poivers,  being 
made  subject  unto  Him.  This  he  says  for  the  enlighten- 
ing and  strengthening  of  our  faith.  For  it  was  neces- 
sary that  Christ  should  ascend  to  heaven  and  become 
Lord  over  all  creatures  and  powers  universally,  that 
He  may  bring  us  thither,  and  make  us  conquerors. 
This  is  said  for  our  consolation,  that  we  may  know 
that  all  powers,  whether  they  be  in  heaven  or  earth, 
must  serve  and  aid  us,  even  death  and  the  devil, — 
since  all  must  become  subservient,  and  lie  at  the  feet 
of  the  Lord  Christ.  This  closes  the  third  chapter. 
The  fourth  follows. 


CHAP.  IV.]  GENERAL   OF   ST.   PETER.  195 


CHAPTER   IV. 

V.  1.  Forasmuch^  then^  as  Christ  hath  suffered  for  us 
in  the  fleshy  arm  yourselves  likewise  xoith  the  same  mind  j 
for  he  that  hath  suffered  in  the  flesh  hath  ceased  from 
sin. 

St.  Peter  continues  still  in  the  same  strain.  Just  as 
he  hitherto  has  admonished  us  generally  that  we 
should  suffer,  if  it  be  the  will  of  God,  and  has  set 
Christ  before  us  as  an  example, — so  he  now  confirms 
it  more  broadly,  and  repeats  it  again,  sayings  While 
Christ,  who  is  our  captain  and  head,  has  suffered  in 
the  flesh  and  presented  us  an  example,  (besides  that  He 
has  ransomed  us  from  our  sins,)  we  also  should  imitate 
Him,  and  prepare  ourselves,  and  put  on  the  same 
armor.  For  in  the  Scriptures  the  life  of  the  Lord 
Christ,  and  especially  his  suffering,  is  presented  before 
us  in  a  twofold  manner. 

Sometimes  as  a  gift,  as  St.  Peter  has  already  ex- 
hibited it  in  the  third  chapter  ;  and  to  those  first,  who 
are  built  up  and  instructed  in  the  faith  that  Ave  are 
ransomed,  and  our  sins  taken  away  by  the  blood  of 
Christ ;  and  so  he  is  a  gift  and  bestowment  upon  us, 
whi81i  none  can  receive  except  by  faith.  Whereof  he 
speaks  where  he  says,  "  Christ  has  once  suffered  for 
our  sins."  That  is  certainly  the  grand  doctrine,  and 
the  most  precious  one  of  the  Gospel. 


196  THE   FIRST   EPISTLE  [CHAP.  IV. 

Again,  Christ  is  set  before  us  and  offered  to  us  as 
an  example  and  pattern  for  us  to  follow.  For  if  we 
only  receive  Christ,  through  faith,  as  a  free  gift,  we 
shall  go  farther  and  do  ourselves  as  He  has  done  for 
us,  and  imitate  Him  in  His  whole  life  and  sufferings. 
In  this  manner  St.  Peter  presents  it  here.  But  he  does 
not  speak  here  particularly  of  those  marks  of  the  love 
which  leads  us  to  befriend  our  neighbor,  and  do  good, 
which  are  called,  specifically,  good  works  (for  he  had 
said  enough  of  this  above),  but  of  such  evidences  as 
concern  our  personal  experience,  and  are  of  service  in 
strengthening  our  faith,  that  sin  may  be  put  to  death 
in  the  flesh,  and  we  thereby  become  of  so  much  better 
service  to  our  neighbor.  For  if  I  control  my  body  so 
that  it  be  not  lustful,  then  can  I  leave  my  neighbor, 
his  wife  or  child,  at  peace  ;  while  if  I  subdue  hate  and 
envy,  I  shall  become  so  much  better  prepared  to  be 
kind  and  friendly  toward  my  neighbor. 

We  have  repeated  often  enough  already  that  we  are 
justified  through  faith,  and  thus  have  the  Lord  Christ 
as  ours  ;  still  we  must  also  do  good  works  and  show 
kindness  to  our  neighbor.  For  we  are  never  entirely 
purified  while  we  live  on  earth,  and  every  one  still 
finds  in  his  body  evil  lusts.  The  believer  indeed  prays 
for  the  death  of  sin  and  the  gift  of  heaven,  but  i^  not 
yet  become  entirely  and  completely  strong  ;  but  as 
Christ  described  the  Samaritan,  who  was  not  yet 
healed,  but  was  laid  under  restrictions  and  directions 


CHAP.  IV.]  GENERAL    OF   ST.    PETER.  197 

that  he  might  become  sound,  so  it  is  also  with  us.  If 
we  believe,  then  is  our  sin  restrained, — that  is,  the  dis- 
ease which  we  have  derived  from  Adam,  and  we  begin 
to  recover.  But  it  is  the  case,  in  one  more,  in  another 
less,  that  in  proportion  as  one  mortifies  and  subdues 
the' flesh,  so  much  does  his  faith  increase.  So  that  if 
we  have  these  two  things,  faith  and  love,  our  future 
'experience  will  be,  that  we  shall  continue  to  drive  sin 
before  us  till  we  die. 

Therefore  St.  Peter  says,  arm  yourselves  with  the 
same  mind;  that  is,  take  up  a  fii^m  purpose,  and 
strengthen  yourselves  with  the  mind  which  you  re- 
ceive from  Christ ;  for,  if  we  are  Christians,  then  must 
we  also  say.  My  Master  has  suffered  and  spilt  His  blood 
for  me,  and  has  died  for  my  sake.  Should  I  then  be 
so  base  as  not  to  love  Him  ?  While  the  Master  runs 
upon  the  spears'  points  in  the  conflict,  how  much  more 
should  the  servant  advance  with  joy  ?  Thus  do  we 
awaken  a  courage  such  that  we  press  onward,  and  arm 
ourselves  in  our  own  minds  so  as  joyfully  to  persevere. 

The  word  flesh  refers  in  Scripture  not  only  out- 
wardly to  the  body,  but  includes  all  that  is  derived 
from  Adam.  As  when  God  says,  in  Gen.  vi.  :  "  My 
Spirit  shall  not  always  strive  with  men,  for  they  also 
are  flesh  ;"  and  Isaiah,  chap,  xl.,  "  All  flesh  shall  see 
the  Salvation  of  God,"— that  is,  it  shall  be  revealed  for 
all  men.  So  we  also  make  confession  in  our  own  form 
of  faitli,  "  I  believe  in  the  resurrection  of  the  flesh," 


198  THE   FIRST  EPISTLE  [CHAP.  IV. 

that  is,  that  men  shall  rise  again.  So  man  uniformly 
throughout  is  called  flesh,  as  he  lives  here  in  this  state 
of  being. 

The  marks  of  the  flesh  are  carefully  recounted,  one 
after  another,  in  Paul's  Epistle  to  the  Galatians  v.,  not 
only  the  gross  carnal  works,  as  lasciviousness,  but  also 
the  highest  and  most  reckless  blasphemies,  as  idolatry 
and  heresy,  which  belong  not  only  to  the  flesh,  but  to 
the  reason.  We  must  understand,  therefore,  that  man, 
with  his  intellectual  nature, — and  with  respect  both  to 
that  which  is  inward  and  that  which  is  outward — that 
is,  the  body  and  spirit, — has  the  appellation  of  flesh  ; 
and  this,  because  with  all  his  faculties,  internal  and 
external,  he  seeks  only  that  which  is  carnal,  and  can 
serve  to  gratify  the  flesh.  St.  Peter  says  here,  too, 
that  Christ  suffered  in  theflei>h,  while  it  is  certain  that 
His  suffering  extended  further  than  to  the  body  merely, 
for  His  soul  suffered  the  greatest  anguish,  as  is  said 
by  the  prophet  Isaiah. 

In  the  same  way,  also,  you  are  to  understand  that 
which  follows,  in  the  passage  before  us  :  "  Whoever 
hath  suffered  in  the  flesh  hath  ceased  from  siny  For 
this  implies  not  only  such  things  as  the  death  and  the 
torture  of  the  body,  but  whatever  can  work  misery  to 
man — whatever  he  endures  through  calamity  and 
necessity.  For  there  are  many  people  who  are  sound 
in  body,  and  yet  inwardly  experience  much  heart-sor- 
row and  anguish.     If  it  comes  upon  us  for  Christ's 


CHAP.  IV.  I  GE:NEKAL    of   ST.    PETER.  199 

sake,  it  is  serviceable  and  profitable.  For  whoever 
suffers  in  the  flesh  (says  he)  ceases  from  sin,  and  there- 
fore the  Holy  Cross  is  profitable,  that  sin  may  thereby 
be  subdued  ;  since  it  requires  you  to  mortify  lust, 
envy  and  hate,  and  other  wickedness.  Therefore  God 
has  imposed  the  Holy  Cross  upon  us  that  He  might 
urge  and  constrain  us  to  believe,  and  extend  the  hand 
of  kindness  one  to  the  other.     Hereupon  it  follows  : 

V.  2.  That  he  henceforth,  in  tJie  time  that  still  remains 
for  him  in  the  fleshy  should  live  not  according  to  the  lusts 
of  men^  but  the  will  of  God. 

We  should  henceforth,  as  long  as  we  live,  hold  the 
flesh  captive  through  the  Cross,  and  by  mortifications, 
so  as  to  do  that  which  pleases  God,  and  not  with  the 
idea  that  we  should  or  can  deserve  anything  by  it. 
Not  according  to  the  lusts  of  men  (says  he), — that  is,  that 
we  sliould  not  do  that  to  which  we  might  yet  be 
tempted  by  others  ;  for  we  are  not  to  be  conformed  to 
this  world,  as  Paul  says,  Rom.  xii.  What  the  world 
demands  of  us  we  must  refuse. 

V.  3.  For  the  thne  past  of  our  life  is  enough  to  have 
wrought  the  will  of  the  Gentiles^  when  loe  icalked  in 
lasciciousness^  lusts^  excess  of  loine,  revellings,  banquet- 
ings  and  abominable  idolatries. 

We  have  already  gone  altogether  too  far,  that  be- 
fore our  believing  we  have  so  shamefully  spent  our  life 
in  accordance  with  the  will  of  the  Gentiles,  which  is 


200  THE   FIRST   EPISTLE  [CHAP.  IV. 

the  same  with  lusts  of  men.  Therefore  as  long  as  life 
continues  we  should  see  to  it  that  we  do  that  which  is 
well-pleasing  to  God  ;  for  we  have  our  enemy  in  our 
flesh,  the  one  that  is  the  real  knave — not  gross  matter 
merely,  but  more  particularly  blindness  of  mind,  which 
Paul  calls  carnal  wisdom, — that  is,  the  policy  of  the 
flesh.  If  we  have  subdued  this  depravity,  that  other  is 
carefully  to  be  constrained,  which  does  our  neighbor 
injury  in  so  secret  a  manner  as  not  to  be  observed. 

St.  Peter  calls  that  lasciviousness  that  is  accom- 
panied with  outward  gestures  or  words  by  which  evil 
intentions  are  expressed,  though  the  deed  itself  be 
not  performed,  and  it  is  that  which  is  unchaste  to  the 
sight  and  hearing,  upon  which  afterward  the  lust  and 
the  act  also  follow.  Thereupon  there  succeeds  such 
idolatry  as  is  abominable.  And  we  may  easily  bring 
all  this  upon  us,  for  when  we  have  lost  faith  we  have 
certainly  lost  God,  also,  and  may  fall  into  more  abomi- 
nable idolatries  than  the  heathen,  if  w^e  view  the 
matter  aright. 

V.  4-5.  A7id  it  surprises  thetn  that  ye  run  not  with 
them  to  the  same  excess  of  disorderly  life^  and  they 
calumniate  you^  who  must  give  account  to  Him  that  is 
ready  to  judge  the  living  and  the  dead. 

That  is,  ye  have  hitherto  lived  after  the  manner  of 
the  heathen,  but  since  you  have  now  forsaken  it,  it  ap- 
pears strange  to  men,  and  seems  shameful  and  foolish. 


CHAP,  IV.]  GENERAL   OF   ST.    PETER.  201 

and  they  say,  "  What  great  fools  they  are  to  withdraw 
themselves  from  all  worldly  good  and  gratification." 
But  let  it  seem  strange  to  them  ;  let  them  libel  you  ; 
they  shall  yet  be  compelled  to  give  in  their  account ; 
wherefore  leave  it  to  Him  that  will  judge  righteously. 

V.  6.  For  to  this  end  also  teas  the  Gospel  preached  to 
the  dead^  that  they  should  he  judged  according  to  men  in 
the  fleshy  hut  live  to  God  in  the  spirit. 

Here  we  have,  however,  a  strange  and  remarkable 
text.  The  words  clearly  declare  that  the  Gospel  is 
preached  not  only  to  the  living,  but  also  to  the  dead, 
and  adds  besides,  "  in  order  that  they  may  be  judged 
according  to  men  in  the  flesh."  Now  they  certainly 
have  not  flesh,  which  can  be  understood  only  of  the 
living.  It  is  a  wonderful  passage,  however  understood  : 
whether  it  should  be  made  to  refer  to  us,  or  to  concern 
something  foreign,  I  do  not  know,  yet  this  is  my  under- 
standing of  it.  We  are  not  to  be  anxious  how  God 
will  condemn  the*  heathen  who  died  many  centuries 
ago,  but  only  how  He  will  judge  those  that  are  now 
living  ;  so  that  the  passage  should  be  considered  as 
spoken  of  men  on  earth. 

But  as  to  the  word  flesh,  you  are  to  understand,  as  1 
said  above,  that  the  entire  man  is  called  flesli,  accord- 
ing as  he  lives,  just  as  he  also  is  called  in  respect  to 
his  whole  nature,  spiritual,  while  he  follows  after  tliat 
which  is  spiritual.  Still  there  is  also  a  commingling 
•  9* 


202  THE   FIRST   EPISTLE  [CHAP.  IV. 

of  the  two  things  with  one  another,  just  as  I  say  of  a 
man  who  is  wounded,  that  he  is  whole  and  yet  is 
wounded  ;  and  so,  too,  though  the  sound  part  is  greater 
than  the  wounded  part,  still  he  is  spoken  of  only  with 
reference  to  the  injured  part  as  wounded  ;  and  such,  too, 
is  the  method  of  the  Spirit  here :  therefore  he  says, 
that  they  as  to  their  outward  being  are  condemned, 
but  inwardly,  as  respects  the  spirit,  are  preserved  in 
life. 

But  how  does  that,  where  He  says  that  they  live, 
agree  with  that  which  he  subjoins,  that  they  are  dead  ? 
I  will  explain  it  according  to  my  understanding,  yet 
not  so  as  to  limit  the  Holy  Ghost  in  that  he  calls  the 
unbelieving  dead.  For  I  cannot  accept  the  sense  that 
to  those  that  are  dead  and  perished,  the  Gospel  has 
been  preached.  This,  then,  would  be  what  St.  Peter 
means,  that  the  Gospel  has  been  freely  published  and 
universally  spread  abroad,  concealed  neither  from  dead 
nor  living — neither  from  angels  nor  yet  from  devils, 
and  preached  not  secretly  in  a  corner,  but  so  publicly 
that  all  creatures  might  hear  it  that  have  ears  to  liear, 
as  Christ  gave  command  in  the  last  of  Mark  :  "  Go  ye 
forth  and  preach  the  Gospel  to  all  creatures."  If, 
therefore,  it  is  preached  in  such  a  manner,  there  will 
those  be  found  who  are  condemned  after  the  flesh,  but 
live  after  the  spirit. 

V.  7.   But  the  end  of  all  things  is  at  hand.     This  is 


CHAP.  IV.]  GENERAL    OF   ST.    PETER.  203 

also  a  remarkable  passage,  for  already  nearly  1500 
years  are  passed  since  then.  St.  Peter  preached  that 
the  time  is  neither  near  nor  brief,  yet  he  says,  that  the 
end  of  all  things  is  at  hand ;  as  John  also  declares  in  his 
first  epistle,  chap,  ii.,  "  It  is  the  last  hour."  If  it  were 
not  the  Apostle's  language,  we  might  say  it  was  con- 
tradictory :  but  by  this  we  must  firmly  abide,  that  the 
Apostle  has  truth  with  him.  Yet  what  he  means  here 
he  shall  explain  himself  in  the  second  epistle,  where  he 
tells  us  why  the  time  is  said  to  be  near,  and  says  :  "  One 
day  is  with  the  Lord  as  a  thousand  years,  and  a  thou- 
sand years  as  one  day  ; "  of  which  I  have  spoken  above. 
So  that  we  must  explain  it  in  this  manner,  that  it  shall 
not  be  as  long  hereafter  to  the  end  of  the  world  as  it 
has  been  from  the  beginning  to  the  present  time.  And 
it  is  not  to  be  expected  that  one  should  live  two  or 
three  thousand  years  after  the  birth  of  Christ,  so  that 
the  end  shall  come  before  we  look  for  it.  Wherefore 
he  further  adds  : 

V.  7,  8.  Be  ye  therefore  sober ^  a7id  watch  unto  2yrayer. 
And  above  all  things  have  fervent  charity  among  your- 
selves :  for  charity  shall  cover  the  midtitude  of  shis. 

Here  you  perceive  the  reason  why  we  are  to  watch 
and  be  sober ;  namely,  that  we  may  be  prepared  to 
pray  for  ourselves  and  our  neighbors.  Since  charity 
cannot  be  fervent  unless  you  keep  the  body  in  subjec- 
tion, that  charity  may  have  place  within  you.     Here 


204  THE   FIRST    EPISTLE  [CHAP.   IV. 

St.  Peter  has  quoted  a  passage  from  the  book  of 
Proverbs,  oh.  x.  12.  Hate  stirreth  up  strife,  hut  love 
covereth  the  multitude  of  sim.  And  this  is  what  St. 
Peter  means  :  Subdue  your  flesh  and  lusts  :  unless  you 
do  it,  you  will  easily  offend  one  another,  and  yet  not 
easily  be  able  to  forgive  one  another.  Take  care, 
therefore,  that  you  subdue  the  wicked  lusts,  so  you 
shall  be  able  to  show  charity  one  to  another,  and  to 
forgive,  for  charity  covereth  sins. 

This  passage  has  been  explained  to  the  prejudice  of 
faith,  inasmuch  as  they  tell  us  :  "  You  say  that  faith 
alone  makes  us  righteous,  and  that  no  one  through 
works  may  be  free  from  sin.  Why  then  do  Solomon 
and  Peter,  as  in  this  passage,  say,  love  covers  sins  F  '' 
Answer.  Whoever  has  hatred  toward  another,  says 
Solomon,  ceases  not  to  stir  up  strife  and  bitterness. 
But  where  there  is  love,  it  covers  sins  and  cheerfully 
forgives.  Where  there  is  wrath,  or  in  other  words, 
where  there  is  an  intractable  man,  reconciliation  is  not 
permitted  ;  he  remains  full  of  wrath  and  hate.  On  the 
other  hand,  a  man  who  is  full  of  love  is  he  whom  one 
cannot  enrage,  however  much  injury  may  be  done  him  ; 
he  perceives  it  all,  but  does  as  though  he  saw  it  not. 
So  that  the  covering  is  spoken  of  as  regards  our  neigh- 
bor, and  not  as  it  respects  God.  Nothing  shall  cover 
up  sin  before  God  for  you,  except  faith.  But  my  love 
covers  the  sin  of  my  neighbor  ;  and  just  as  God  with 
His  love  covers  my  sins,  if  I  believe,  so  too  should  I 


CHAP.  IV.]  GENERAL   OF   ST.    PETER.  205 

cover  my  neighbor's  sins.  Therefore  He  says,  Ye 
should  have  charity  one  to  another,  that  one  may 
cover  the  other's  sins.  And  love  covers  not  only  one, 
two,  or  three  sins,  but  the  multitude  of  sins  ;  cannot  suf- 
fer and  do  too  much  ;  covers  up  all.  So  St.  Paul  also 
speaks  and  teaches  in  accordance  with  this  passage, 
I.  Cor.  xiii.  7.  Charity  heareth  all  things,  believeth  all 
things,  hopeth  all  things,  endureth  all  things.  It  has 
respect  to  the  best  good  of  all,  can  suffer  all,  and  take 
for  the  best  whatever  shall  be  imposed  upon  it.  There 
follows,  further : 

V.  9.  J^e  hospitable  one  to  another  without  grudging, 
and  r)ii7iister  one  to  another^  as  every  one  has  received  the 
gift.  He  is  said  to  be  hospitable  who  cheerfully  acts 
the  host.  When  the  Apostles  went  abroad  one  with 
another  and  preached,  and  sent  their  younger  brethren 
here  and  there,  it  was  necessary  that  one  should  lodge 
the  other.  How  well  would  it  be,  even  now,  that  men 
should  preach  from  one  place  to  another,  from  city  to 
city,  from  house  to  house, — and  without  remaining  too 
long  in  one  place,  might  see  to  it  that  where  one  was 
weak  he  should  be  helped,  and  where  one  had  fallen 
down  he  should  be  lifted  up,  and  things  of  that  sort.  St. 
Peter  directs  that  this  should  take  place  without  mur- 
muring ;  that  no  one  should  suffer  it  to  seem  too  much 
for  him.  This  is  also  a  work  of  love,  as  it  follows  im- 
mediatelv  afterward,  that  we  should  minister  to  one 


206  THE    FIHST    EPISTLE  [CHAP.  TV. 

another  !  Wherewith  ?  With  the  gifts  of  God  which 
every  one  has  received.  The  gospel  directs  that  every 
one  be  the  servant  of  the  other,  and  beside,  see  to  it 
that  he  abide  in  the  gift  which  he  has  received,  which 
God  has  bestowed  upon  him  ;  that  is,  the  state,  what- 
ever it  be,  whereunto  he  has  been  called. 

God's  will  is  not  that  a  lord  should  serve  his  ser- 
vant, that  the  maid  be  as  the  mistress,  and  a  prince 
serve  the  beggar  ; — for  he  will  not  break  down  ma- 
gistracy. But  his  meaning  is,  that  men  should  serve 
one  another  spiritually,  with  their  hearts  :  although 
you  are  a  high  and  great  lord,  yet  should  you  employ 
your  power  to  this  end,  that  you  may  therewith  serve 
your  neighbor.  Thus  should  every  one  hold  himself 
for  a  servant ;  the  lord  may  still  remain  a  lord,  and 
yet  hold  himself,  in  his  own  esteem,  no  better  tlian  the 
servant  :  so  that  he  even  cheerfully  would  become  a 
servant  if  it  were  God's  ordering  ;  and  the  same  is 
applicable  to  other  conditions. 

Y.  10.  As  good  stewards  of  the  manifold  grace  of  God. 
God  has  not  bestowed  upon  us  all  like  grace  ;  therefore 
should  every  one  inquire  to  what  he  has  been  ap- 
pointed, and  what  kind  of  gift  has  been  bestowed  upon 
him.  When  he  discovers  this,  let  him  use  it  for  the 
service  of  his  neighbor,  as  St.  Peter  further  explains, 
and  says  : 

V.  11.  If  any  man  speak,  let  him  speak  as  the  word 


CHAP.  TV.]  GENERAL   OF   ST.    PPZTER.  207 

of  Ood.  That  is,  if  any  one  has  the  grace  that  enables 
him  to  preach  and  teach,  let  him  teach  and  preach. 
As  St.  Paul  says,  also,  Rom.  xii,  3  :  "  That  no  one 
think  more  of  himself  than  he  ought  to  think,  but  every 
man  according  as  God  has  dealt  to  him  the  measure  of 
faith.  For  as  we  have  many  members  in  one  body  and 
all  members  have  not  the  same  office,  so  we,  being 
many,  are  one  body  in  Christ,  and  every  one  members 
one  of  another  ;  and  have  many  gifts,  differing  accord- 
ing to  the  grace  that  has  been  given  unto  us.  And 
then  follows,  "  Has  any  one  a  prophecy,  let  it  be  in 
accordance  with  faith  ;  Has  any  one  a  ministry,  let 
him  wait  on  his  ministering  :  Does  any  one  teach,  let 
him  wait  on  his  teaching."  He  teaches  the  same  doc- 
trine also  elsewhere,  in  his  Epistles  to  the  Corinthians 
and  Ephesians. 

For  this  reason  has  God  distributed  various  gifts 
among  men  which  should  be  employed  to  this  intent 
alone,  that  one  should  minister  therewith  to  another, 
especially  those  who  are  in  authority,  be  it  in  preach- 
ing, or  some  other  ministry. 

Now  St.  Peter  says,  here.  If  any  one  speak,  let  Mm 
speak  as  the  word  of  God.  This  point  is  worthy  of 
special  remark,  that  no  one  is  to  preach  anything  but 
what  he  is  sure  is  the  word  of  God.  There  St.  Peter 
has  shut  up  the  Pope's  mouth,  and  lo  !  he  will  be  St. 
Peter's  successor,  so  cunningly  has  he  managed  it. 
Further  : 


208  THE    FIRST    EPISTLE  [CHAP.  IV. 

V.  11.  If  any  one  ministers,  let  him  do  it  as  of  the 
ability  which  God  giveth.  That  is,  whoever  rules  in 
the  christian  church  and  has  an  office  or  ministr}^  for 
the  care  of  souls,  he  is  not  to  proceed  as  he  may  choose, 
and  say,  "  I  am  sovereign  lord,  I  must  be  obeyed ; 
what  I  do  shall  remain  established."  God  requires 
that  we  should  do  no  otherwise  than  as  he  directs.  So 
that  since  it  is  God's  work  and  ordinance,  let  a  bishop 
do  nothing  except  he  be  sure  that  God  sanctions  it, 
that  it  is  either  God's  word  or  work. 

And  besides,  inasmuch  as  God  will  not  permit  that 
we  should  regard  as  a  matter  of  sport  what  we  do 
with  the  christian  church,  we  must  stand  in  such  an 
assurance  as  this,  that  God  speaks  and  works  through 
us^  and  that  our  faith  may  also  say,  "  That  which  I 
have  spoken  and  done,  God  also  has  spoken  and  done  ; 
on  this  I  will  even  die. 

And  yet  if  I  am  not  certain  of  the  matter,  tlien  my 
faith  will  rest  upon  the  sand  when  the  devil  assaults 
me.  Thus  here  it  is  emphatically  forbidden  us  to 
receive  the  command  of  any  bishop,  unless  it  is  also 
the  case,  that  he  is  certain  that  he  does  what  God  does, 
and  can  say,  "  I  have  God's  word  and  command  for  it." 
Where  that  is  wanting,  we  must  hold  him  for  a  liar. 
For  God  has  prescribed  that  our  conscience  must 
rest  on  the  bare  rock.  This  is  said  also  of  govern- 
ment in  general,  that  no  one  might  follow  liis  own 
darkness,  and  that  nothing  might  be  done  of  which  he 


CHAP.  IV.]  GENERAL    OF   ST.    PETER.  209 

was  not  sure  that  God  would  sanction  it.  Whence 
you  perceive  how  St.  Peter  so  long  ago  thrust  down  to 
the  ground  the  government  of  Popes  and  bishops,  as 
we  have  it  at  the  present  day.     Now  follows  : 

V.  11.  That  God  in  all  things  may  be  glorified  through 
our  Lord  Jesus  Christy  to  whom  he  praise  and  dominion 
for  ever  and  ever ;  Amen.  For  this  reason  it  is,  you 
are  to  be  so  confident,  (he  means),  that  God  speaks 
and  does  all  that  you  speak  and  do.  For  if  you  per- 
form a  work  of  which  you  are  not  sure  that  God  has 
done  it,  you  cannot  praise  and  give  thanks.  But  where 
a  man  is  certain  of  it,  in  that  case  he  may  praise  and 
thank  Him  for  His  word  and  works'  sake,  though  he 
should  be  belied  and  held  up  for  derision.  Therefore 
it  is  a  shameful  and  ruinous  thing  tliat  in  Christendom 
any  one  should  govern  in  opposition  to  the  word  and 
works  of  God.  Therefore,  from  necessity,  has  St. 
Peter  subjoined  that  in  which  he  instructs  how  govern- 
ment should  be  ordered  among  christian  people.  Then 
follows,  further  : 

12.  Beloved,  he  not  surprised  at  the  fieri/  trial  ivhich  is  to 
try  you^  as  though  some  strange  thing  happened  unto  you. 
That  is  a  mode  of  speech  not  common  in  our  language. 
But  St.  Peter  uses  this  very  phraseology,  in  order  to 
remind  us  of  that  concerning  which  the  Holy  Scrip- 
ture speaks.  For  the  Scripture  is  accustomed  to  speak 
of  sujffering  as  though  it  were  a  furnace  full  of  fire  and 


210  THE   FIRST   EPISTLE  [CHAP.  IV. 

heat.  St.  Peter  has  spoken  in  the  same  manner,  above, 
in  the  first  chapter  :  ''  That  the  trial  of  your  faith  be 
found  far  more  precious  than  the  perishing  gold  that  is 
tried  by  fire."  We  may  also  read  in  the  prophet  Isaiah, 
chap,  xlviii.,  God  says  :  "  I  have  tried  thee  in  the  fur- 
nace of  affliction  ;"  and  Ps.  xvi.,  ''  With  fire  hast  thou 
tried  me  f  and  Ps.  xxv.,  ''  Lord,  thou  wilt  consume  and 
destroy  my  nerves  and  my  heart ;"  also,  Ps.  Ixv.,  "  We 
have  passed  through  fire  and  water."  Thus  the  Scrip- 
tures are  accustomed  to  illustrate  what  we  call  suffering, 
by  burning  or  trial  by  fire.  This  is  St.  Peter's  conclu- 
sion, that  we  should  not  suffer  ourselves  to  be  surprised, 
or  to  think  it  strange  and  wonderful  that  the  heat  or 
fire  should  meet  us,  whereby  we  are  tried,  just  as  gold 
is  when  it  is  melted  in  the  fire. 

When  faith  begins,  God  does  not  neglect  it ;  He  lays 
the  cross  upon  our  back  in  order  to  strengthen  us  and 
make  our  faith  mighty.  The  Gospel  is  a  powerful 
word,  but  it  cannot  enter  upon  its  work  without  oppo- 
sition, and  no  one  can  be  sure  that  it  possesses  such 
power,  but  he  who  has  experienced  it.  Where  there  is 
suffering  and  the  cross,  there  its  power  may  be  sliown 
and  exercised.  It  is  a  living  word,  and  therefore  it 
must  exercise  all  its  energy  upon  tlie  dead.  But  if 
there  is  no  such  tiling  as  death  and  corruption,  there 
is  nothing  for  it  to  do,  and  none  can  be  certain  that  it 
possesses  such  virtue,  and  is  stronger  than  sin  and 
death.     Therefore,  he  says,  are  you  tried ;  tliat  is,  God 


CHAP.  IV.]  GENERAL   OF   ST.    PETER.  '21 1 

appoints  for  you  no  flame  or  heat  (in  other  words,  cross 
and  suffering,  which  make  you  glow  as  in  a  furnace), 
except  to  try  you,  whether  you  rely  upon  His  word. 
Thus  it  is  written,  Wisdom  x.,  of  Jacob,  "  God  ap- 
pointed for  him  a  severe  conflict,  that  he  might  learn 
by  experience  that  divine  wisdom  is  the  strongest  of 
all  things."  That  is  the  reason  why  God  imposes  the 
cross  on  all  believers,  that  they  may  taste  and  prove 
the  power  of  God  which  through  faith  they  have 
possessed. 

V.  13.  But  he  ye  partakers  of  the  sufferings  of  Christ. 
St.  Peter  does  not  say  that  we  should  feel  the  suffer- 
ings of  Christ,  that  tliereby  we  should  be  partakers 
wi°th  Him  through  faith,  but  would  say  this  :  just  as 
Christ  has  suffered,  so  are  you  to  expect  to  suffer  and 
be  tried.  If  you  do  thus  suffer,  then  do  you  therein 
have  fellowship  with  the  Lord  Christ.  If  we  would 
live  with  Him,  we  must  also  die  with  Him.  If  I  wish 
to  sit  with  Him  in  His  kingdom,  I  must  also  suffer  with 
Him,  as  Paul  also  says,  repeatedly. 

V.  13.  Rejoice,  that  in  the  time  of  the  revelation  of  His 
glory,  ye  may  he  glad  with  exceeding  joy.  Though  you 
should  be  brought  to  torture  and  the  flames,  you  would 
still  be  happy.  For  though  there  be  pain  as  to  the 
body,  there  shall  yet  be  a  spiritual  joy,  inasmuch  as 
you  are  to  be  happy  forever.  For  this  joy  springs 
here  from  suffering,  and  is  everlasting.     Yet  wlioever 


212  THE    FIRST   EPISTLE  [CHAP.  IV. 

cannot  bear  his  sufferings  cheerfully,  and  is  dissatisfied, 
and  chooses  to  contend  with  God,  he  shall  endure,  both 
here  and  hereafter,  eternal  torment  and  suffering.  Thus 
we  read  of  holy  martyrs,  that  they  have  submitted 
cheerfully  to  torture,  thus  opening  the  way  to  eternal 
enjoyment ;  as  for  instance,  of  St.  Agatha,  that  she  went 
as  joyfully  to  prison  as  though  it  had  been  to  a  dance. 
And  the  Apostles  went  also  with  joy,  and  thanked  God 
"  that  they  were  counted  worthy  to  suffer  for  Christ's 
sake." 

In  the  time  of  the  revelation  of  His  glory.  Christ  does 
not  permit  Himself  as  yet  to  be  seen  as  a  Lord,  but  is 
still  a  sharer  with  us  in  our  labors.  So  far  as  He  is 
Himself  concerned.  He  is  truly  such,  but  we  who  are 
His  members,  are  not  Lords  as  yet.  Still  we  shall  yet 
be  Lords,  when  His  glory  at  the  last  day  shall  be  re- 
yealed  before  all  men,  brighter  than  the  sun. 

y.  14.  If  ye  he  reproached  for  the  name  of  Christ, 
happy  are  you, — Christ  is  a  hateful  name  with  the  world ; 
whoever  preaches  of  Him  must  endure  to  have  the  most 
esteemed  on  earth  slander  and  revile  his  name.  But 
this  in  our  times  is  more  strange  and  unseemly,  that 
they  who  persecute  us  bear  also  the  name  of  Christ ; 
they  say  they  are  Christians  and  baptized,  yet  in  fact 
renounce  and  persecute  Christ.  This  is  indeed  a  sad 
strife.  They  hold  the  same  name  as  tenaciously  as  we 
do,  against  us.     For  this  reason  we  greatly  need  con- 


CHAP.  IV.]  GENERAL   OF   ST.    PETER.  213 

solation, — although  the  most  discreet  and  pious  follow 
after  us, — that  we  may  abide  firmly  and  remain  cheer- 
ful.    But  how  ? 

V.  14.  For  the  Spirit  of  glory  and  of  God  resteth  upon 
you.  On  their  part  He  is  evil  spoken  of  hut  on  your  part 
He  is  glorified. — Ye  (he  says)  have  within  you  a  Spirit, 
that  is,  the  Spirit  of  God  and  of  glory,  such  as  makes 
you  glorious.  But  this  does  not  take  place  on  earth, 
but  it  shall  take  place  when  the  glory  of  Christ  shall  be 
revealed  at  the  last  day.  Besides,  He  is  not  only  a  Spirit 
that  makes  us  glorious,  but  one  which  we  also  regard 
as  glorious  in  Himself.  For  it  belongs  peculiarly  to 
the  Holy  Spirit  to  purify  and  glorify,  even  as  He  has 
made  Christ  pure  and  glorious.  Now  the  same  Spirit 
(he  says)  rests  upon  you  ;  and  forasmuch  as  ye  bear  the 
name  of  Christ,  it  is  slandered  by  them.  For  He  must 
endure  to  be  reviled  and  slandered,  to  the  highest 
degree.  Therefore  it  is  not  you  who  receive  the  revil- 
ing ;  it  belongs  to  the  Spirit,  which  is  a  Spirit  of  glory  : 
be  not  anxious  ;  He  will  regard  it  and  raise  you  to 
honor.  This  is  the  consolation  which  we  as  Christians 
have,  that  we  may  say,  That  word  is  not  mine,  this 
faith  is  not  mine,  they  are  all  the  work  of  God  :  who- 
ever reviles  me  reviles  God,  as  Christ  says  in  Matthew 
X.,  "Whoever  receiveth  you  receiveth  me  ;"  and  on  the 
other  hand,  "  Whoever  reviles  you  reviles  me."  St. 
Peter,   therefore,   would   say,  Know    that   the  Spirit 


214  THE    FIKST   EPISTLE  [CHAP.  IV. 

which  you  have  is  strong  enough  easily  to  punish  His 
enemies  ;  as  God  says  also  in  Ex.  xxiii.,  If  thou  wilt 
hearken  to  my  commandments,  I  will  be  the  enemy  of 
thine  enemies.  And  the  Scripture  often  repeats  it,  that 
the  enemies  of  the  saints  are  the  enemies  of  God.  If 
we  only  have  experience  that  we  are  Christians,  and 
believe,  we  shall  not  be  ashamed,  but  the  reviling  is 
directed  more  especially  against  God  Himself.  There- 
fore, he  says,  be  ye  cheerful  and  happy,  for  that  oppo- 
sition is  to  the  Spirit,  which  is  not  yours,  but  God's. 
Now  he  adds  an  admonition  : 

y.  15.  But  let  no  one  suffer  as  a  murderer,  or  a  thief, 
or  an  evil-doer,  or  a  busy-body  in  other  men''s  matters  ;  but 
if  any  man  suffer  as  a  Christian,  let  him  not  be  ashamed, 
but  let  him  glorify  Ood  on  this  behalf — He  would  say, 
now,  You  have  heard  how  you  are  to  suffer,  and  conduct 
yourselves  under  it,  but  beware  that  it  do  not  come  upon 
you  because  you  have  deserved  it  on  account  of  your 
evil  deeds,  but  for  Christ's  sake.  Yet  this  is  not  now 
the  case  with  us,  for  we  must  suffer,  notwithstanding 
the  fact  that  those  who  persecute  us  bear  also  the  name 
of  Christ,  so  that  no  one  can  die  because  he  is  a  Chns- 
tian,  but  only  as  an  enemy  of  Christ,  and  even  they 
who  persecute  him  say  they  are  real  Christians,  and 
say,  too,  that  he  is  blessed  who  dies  for  Christ's  sake. 
Here  the  Spirit  alone  must  determine,  since  you  must 
know  that  you  are  a  Christian  in  the  sight  of  God. 


CHAP.  IV.]  GEKEKAL    OF    ST.    PETER.  215 

God's  tribunal  is  a  secret  one,  and  when  He  has  un- 
covered the  matter,  He  will  judge  no  more  according 
to  the  name,  since  at  that  time  the  name  of  the  most 
exalted  must  vanish  away. 

Now,  St.  Peter  says.  If  ye  suffer  in  this  manner,  he  ye 
not  ashamed.,  hut  glorify  God.  Here  he  makes  the  suffer- 
ing and  anguish  the  more  welcome,  because  it  is  great, 
insomuch  that  we  praise  God  through  it,  and  because 
we  are  not  worthy  of  it.  Yet  now  all  will  shrink 
therefrom.  Of  what  advantage  is  it  to  embrace  the 
cross  in  monasteries  ?  The  cross  of  Christ  does  not 
save  me.  I  must,  indeed,  believe  in  His  cross,  but  I 
must  myself  bear  my  own  cross.  His  suffering  must  I 
experience  inwardly,  if  I  would  possess  the  true  treas- 
ure. Let  St.  Peter's  bones  be  holy,  yet  how  does  it 
help  you  ?  You  and  your  bones  should  be  holy,  too, 
which  can  take  place  only  when  you  suffer  for  Christ's 
sake. 

V.  17.  For  the  time  is  come  that  judgment  must  begin 
at  the  house  of  Ood ;  and.  if  it  first  hegin  at  us,  luhat  shall 
the  end  he  of  them  that  obey  not  the  Gospel  of  God  f  He 
here  brings  two  passages  from  the  prophets  together 
in  one.  As  to  the  first,  Jeremiah  says,  xxv.  :  "  Behold, 
I  send  my  judgments  upon  the  city  which  is  called  by 
my  name  ;  and  if  first  of  all  I  afflict  my  dearly  beloved 
children  who  believe  on  me,  who  first  of  all  must  suffer 
and  past  through  the  fire,  do  ye  who  are  my  enemies, 


216  THE    FIRST   EPISTLE  [CHAP.  IV. 

ye  who  do  not  believe,  suppose  that  ye  shall  escape 
punishment  ?  "  So  in  chap.  xlix.  he  says  :  "  They  whose 
judgment  was  not  to  drink  the  cup,  have  assuredly 
drunken,  and  thinkest  thou  that  thou  art  he  that  shall 
not  drink?"  That  is,  I  strike  my  beloved,  that  you 
may  see  how  I  shall  treat  my  enemies.  Observe  here 
the  force  of  the  words  :  if  God  holds  his  saints  in  such 
esteem,  yet  has  been  willing  to  have  them  judged  and 
exposed  with  such  severity,  what  will  then  be  done 
with  the  others  ? 

So  also  Ezekiel,  chap,  ix.,  saw  armed  men  with 
their  swords,  who  were  to  slay  all,  to  whom  God  said, 
begin  at  my  sanctuary.  That  is  what  St.  Peter  means 
in  this  place.  Therefore  he  says,  the  time  is  come,  as 
the  prophets  have  foretold,  when  judgment  must  begin 
with  us.  When  the  Gospel  is  preached,  God  arrests 
and  punishes  sin,  since  it  is  He  that  kills  and  makes 
alive.  The  pious  he  gently  strokes,  and  first  of  all 
is  the  rod  of  kind  correction  :  but  what  then  will  be 
done  with  those  that  do  not  believe  ?  As  though  he 
had  said,  if  He  proceeds  with  such  severity  toward  His 
own  children,  you  may  infer  what  must  be  the  punish- 
ment of  those  who  do  not  believe. 

Y.  18.  And  if  the  righteous  scarcely  he  saved^  ivherc 
shall  the  ungodly  and  the  sinner  appear  ?  This  passage 
is  also  taken  from  the  book  of  Proverbs,  chap.  ii.  81.  : 
^'  If  the  righteous  be  recompensed  in  the  earth,  where 


CHAP.  IV.]  GENERAL   OF   ST.    PETER.  217 

shall  the  godless  abide  ?  "  The  same  thing  also  is  said 
here  by  St.  Peter.  The  righteous  can  hardly  be  saved 
and  only  just  escapes.  The  righteous  is  he  who  be- 
lieves, yet  in  his  faith,  even,  he  has  trouble  and  labor 
in  order  to  persevere  and  be  saved,  for  he  must  pass 
through  the  fire.  Where  then  will  lie  be  found  who  has 
not  faith?  If  God  gives  thus  to  faith  a  shock  that 
makes  it  tremble,  how  can  lie  abide  steadfast  who  is 
without  faith  ?  whence  he  concludes  : 

V.  19.  Wherefore  let  them  thai  suffer  according  to  the 
will  of  Ood^  commit  their  souls  to  Him  as  a  faithful  creator^ 
in  well-doing.  That  is,  they  to  whom  God  appoints 
suffering,  that  they  have  not  themselves  sought  out 
and  invited,  should  commit  their  souls  to  his  charge. 
These  are  they  that  do  good,  abide  in  good  works,  fall 
not  away  because  of  suffering,  commit  themselves  to 
their  Creator,  who  is  faithful.  This  is  to  us  a  great 
consolation.  God  created  thy  soul  without  thy  care  or 
cooperation,  while  as  yet  thou  wast  not ;  so  is  he  also 
able  to  preserve  it.  Therefore  commit  thyself  to  Him, 
yet  in  such  a  way  that  it  be  joined  with  good  works. 
Not  that  you  are  to  think, — now  I  will  not  be  afraid  to 
die  ;  you  must  see  to  it  that  you  are  a  true  Christian 
and  prove  your  faith  by  your  works.  But  if  you  go  on 
so  venturously,  it  will  be  wise  to  examine  how  it  will 
go  with  you.  This  is  the  last  admonition  which  St. 
Peter  gives  to  those  that  suffer  for  Christ's  sake.  We 
pass  now  to  10 


218  THE   FIRST   EPISTLE  [CHAP.  V. 


CHAPTER  V. 

V.  1-4.  The  elders  lohich  are  among  you  I  exhort, 
who  am  also  a7i  elder ^  and  a  witness  of  the  sufferings  of 
Christy  and  partaker  of  the  glory  which  shall  he  revealed. 
Feed  the  flock  of  Christ  which  is  among  you,  and  take 
the  oversight  of  it,  7iot  by  constraint,  hut  willingly,  not 
for  the  love  of  vile  gain,  hut  of  a  ready  mind,  not  as 
Lords  over  the  heritage,  hut  he  ye  examples  for  the  flock. 
Thus  whe7i  the  Chief  Shepherd  shall  appear,  ye  shall  re- 
ceive the  enduring  crown. 

There  St.  Peter  gives  a  direction  for  the  behaviour 
of  such  as  are  to  preside  over  the  people  in  the  spirit- 
ual government.  He  has  already  said  in  the  last  chap- 
ter, that  no  one  should  teach  or  preach  anything,  unless 
he  be  sure  that  it  is  the  word  of  God,  so  that  our  con- 
science may  stand  on  the  firm  rock.  For  this  is  im- 
perative on  us  as  Christians,  that  we  must  be  assured 
what  is  well-pleasing  to  God,  or  not.  Where  this  is 
wanting  none  can  be  a  Christian.  Afterward  he  taught 
us,  that  whatever  work  or  office  any  one  might  have,  he 
should  discharge  it  as  though  God  wrought  in  it.  But 
the  present  passage  refers  particularly  to  the  bishops 
or  pastors  as  to  what  their  fitness  and  conduct  should 
be.  But  here  you  must  pause  and  learn  the  meaning 
of  the  words.  The  expression  presbyter  or  priest  is  a 
Greek  word,  rendered  in  Dutch  an  elder,  just  as  in 
Latin  these  were  called  senators  ;  that  is,  a  number  of 


CHAP,  v.]  GENERAL   OF  ST.    PETER.  219 

aged,  careful  men  of  much  experience.  So  Christ  also 
has  called  his  officers  and  his  council,  who  bear  spirit- 
ual rule ;  that  is,  who  are  to  preach  and  provide  for 
some  christian  church.  Therefore  you  must  not  mis- 
take, though  they  are  called  at  the  present  day  by  a 
different  title,  priests.  For  of  those  who  are  now 
called  priests.  Scripture  knows  nothing.  Put  the  real 
state  of  things  as  it  now  comes  to  pass  out  of  sight, 
and  apprehend  the  matter  thus  :  that  St.  Peter  and 
the  other  Apostles,  when  they  arrived  at  a  city  where 
there  were  faithful  people  or  Christians,  have  selected 
there  some  few  aged  men  of  honorable  standing,  hav- 
ing wife  and  children,  and  being  well-grounded  in  the 
Scriptures.  These  were  called  presbyters.  After  this 
Peter  and  Paul  call  them  Ejnscopos,  that  is,  bishop.  So 
that  priest  and  bishop  are  one  and  the  same  thing.  Of 
this  we  have  a  fine  example  in  the  legend  of  St.  Marty n, 
where  an  individual,  with  several  companions,  arrives 
in  Africa  at  a  certain  place,  and  perceives  a  man  lying 
there  in  a  hovel,  whom  they  took  for  a  husbandman, 
though  they  knew  not  who  he  was.  Afterwards,  when 
the  people  had  come  together  at  that  place,  this  very 
man  arose  and  preached,  when  they  perceived  that  it 
was  their  pastor  or  bishop  ;  for  at  that  time  they  were 
not  distinguished  from  other  people  by  their  peculiar 
kind  of  clothing  and  attendance. 

Those  elders,  says  St.  Peter,  who  are  to  care  for  and 
to  oversee  the  people,  do  I  admonish,  who  am  also  one. 


220  THE   FIRST  EPISTLE  [CHAP.  V. 

Hence  you  clearly  perceive  that  they  whom  he  calls 
elders,  have  been  in  the  ministry  and  have  preached, 
since  he  speaks  of  himself  also  as  an  elder.  And  here 
St.  Peter  humbles  himself— does  not  say  that  he  was  a 
Lord,  although  he  might  have  had  authority  for  it  since 
he  was  an  Apostle  of  Christ,  and  speaks  of  himself  not 
only  as  a  fellow-elder,  but  also  as  a  witness  of  the  suf- 
ferings that  were  in  Christ.  As  though  he  had  said, 
I  do  not  merely  preach,  but  am  a  partaker  with  Chris- 
tians, even  suffering  Christians.  Thereby  he  shows 
that  wherever  Christians  are  they  must  suffer  and  be 
persecuted.  Such  is  a  gpnuine  Apostle.  If  such  a 
Pope  or  a  bishop  were  to  be  found  among  these  men 
that  bear  the  title  at  the  present  day,  we  would  gladly 
kiss  his  feet. 

And  partaker  of  the  glory  which  shall  he  revealed. 
This  is  something  still  more  exalted,  and  evidently 
a  bishop  must  not  lightly  say  it.  For  here  St.  Peter 
claims  to  be  a  saint.  He  was  certain  that  he  should 
be  saved,  for  he  had  strong  assurance,  as  when  Christ 
said,  "  I  have  chosen  you" — yet  it  had  cost  much  pains 
ere  the  Apostles  attained  it.  They  must  first  be  hum- 
bled and  wickedly  derided.  Now,  although  he  knew 
that  he  was  a  partaker  of  salvation,  still  he  is  not 
proud,  neither  does  he  exalt  himself,  although  he  is  a 
saint.  But  what  were  the  elders  therefore  to  do  ?  It 
follows : 


CHAP,  v.]  GENERAL   OF   ST.    PETEK.  221 

Y.  2.  Feed  the  flock  of  Christ  ivhich  is  among  you. 
Christ  is  the  chief  Shepherd,  and  has  many  shepherds 
under  Him, — as  also  many  herds  of  sheep  which  He 
has  committed  to  His  shepherds,  here  and  there,  as  St. 
Peter  writes  in  this  place,  in  many  lands.  What  are 
these  shepherds  to  do  ?  They  are  to  feed  the  flock  of 
Christ.  This  the  Pope  has  arrogated  to  himself,  and 
thus  claims  that  he  is  sovereign  lord,  and  will  dispose 
of  the  sheep  as  he  chooses.  We  know  very  well  what 
feeding  is,~namely,  that  the  shepherd  should  distribute 
provision  and  set  food  before  the  sheep,  that  they  may 
thrive.  Besides,  they  are  to  guard  lest  the  wolves 
come  and  rend  the  sheep,— that  is,  that  they  may  not 
assault  and  worry  them. 

Now  St.  Peter  says,  particularly,  the  flock  of  Christ, 
as  though  he  should  say  :  Do  not  imagine  tliat  the 
flock  is  yours,  ye  are  only  servants.  But  our  bishops 
speak  with  all  confidence  the  reverse  of  this.  They 
say,  you  are  7ny  sheep.  But  we  are  Christ's  sheep  ; 
for  so  he  said  above,  '^  Ye  are  now  returned  to  the 
Shepherd  and  Bishop  of  your  souls."  The  bishops  are 
Christ's  servants,  and  their  business  is  to  guard  Christ's 
sheep,  and  feed  them.  Therefore  to  feed  them  is 
nothing  else  but  to  preach  the  Gospel,  whereby  souls 
are  nourished,  made  fat  and  fruitful,— since  the  sheep 
thrive  upon  the  Gospel  and  the  word  of  God.  This  is 
.  alone  the  office  of  a  bishop.  So  Christ  says  also  to 
Peter,  "  Feed  my  sheep,"— that  is,  the  sheep  which  you 


222  THE  FIEST  EPISTLE  [CHAP.  V. 

are  to  feed,  are  not  yours,  but  mine.    Yet  from  this 
they  have  inferred  the  doctrine  that  the  Pope  has  ex- 
ternal power  over  all  Christendom,  and  yet  none  of 
them  preaches  to  you  one  word  out  of  the  Gospel ;  and 
I  fear  that  since  St.  Peter's  times  there  has  been  no 
Pope  that  has  preached  the  Gospel.     There  has  cer- 
tainly been  none  who  has  written  and  left  anything 
behind  him  in  which  the  Gospel  was  contained.    Saint 
Gregory,  the  Pope,  was  certainly  a  holy  man,  but  his 
sermons  are  not  worth  a  farthing  ;  so  that  it  would 
seem  that  the  See  of  Rome  has  been  under  the  special 
curse  of  God.   It  is  very  possible  that  some  Popes  may 
have  endured  martyrdom  for  the  Gospel's  sake ;  but 
nothing  has  been  written  of  them  to  show  that  it  was 
the  Gospel.     And  yet  they  go  on  and  preach  that  they 
must  feed  the  flock  ;  and  yet  they  do  nothing  but  bind 
and  destroy  the  conscience,  by  laws  of  their  own,  while 
they  preach  not  a  word  of  Christ. 

It  is  probable,  indeed,  that  among  all   Christians 
many  might  be  found,  both  men  and  women,  as  able  to 
preach  as  those  who  are  thus  employed.   But  certainly 
among  all  these  multitudes  there  are  many  people  who 
have  not  this  ability.   And  therefore  some  one  must  be 
selected  to  strengthen  them,  so  that  the  wolves  shall 
not  come  and  tear  the  sheep.   For  a  preacher  must  not; 
only  feed  the  sheep,  so  as  to  instruct  them  how  they  are 
to  be  good  Christians,  but,  besides  this,  must  guard 
against  the  wolves,  lest  they  attack  the  sheep  and  lead 


CHAP,  v.]  GENERAL   OF   ST.    PETER.  228 

them  astray  with  false  doctrine,  and  introduce  error 
such  as  the  devil  would  not  find  fault  with.  But  there 
are  many  people  to  be  found  at  the  present  day,  quite 
ready  to  tolerate  our  preaching  of  the  Gospel,  if  we 
would  not  cry  out  against  the  wolves  and  preach 
against  the  prelates. 

But  though  I  were  to  preach  the  simple  truth,  and 
feed  the  sheep  and  give  them  good  instruction,  still  it 
is  not  enough  unless  the  sheep  be  guarded  and  pro- 
tected, so  that  the  wolves  do  not  come  and  carry  them 
off.  For  what  is  it  that  is  built,  if  I  throw  out  one 
stone  and  see  another  thrown  into  its  place  ?  The  wolf 
can  very  readily  endure  to  have  the  sheep  well  fed  ;  he 
had  rather  have  it  so,  that  they  may  be  fat.  But  this 
he  cannot  endure,  the  hostile  bark  of  the  dogs.  There- 
fore is  it  a  most  important  matter,  if  well  considered, 
that  we  should  truly  feed  the  flock,  as  God  has  com- 
manded it. 

Theflock^  he  says,  which  is  among  you, — that  is,  which 
is  with  you,  not  that  they  are  to  lie  at  your  feet.  And 
oversee  them  not  hy  constraint^  hut  luillingly^  not  out  of 
love  for  vile  gain.  There  he  has  expressed,  in  a  single 
word,  what  the  prophet  Ezekiel  writes,  chap,  xxxiv., 
of  shepherds  or  bishops.  And  this  is  the  meaning  :  you 
are  not  only  to  feed  them,  but  also  pay  attention  and 
be  carefully  faithful  where  it  is  called  for  and  there  is 
need.     And  here  he  uses  a  Greek  word,  Ejnscopountes, 


224  THE    FIRST   EPISTLE  fCHAP.  V. 

— that  is,  being  bishops^  and  it  comes  from  the  word 
Episcopos^ — that  is,  rendered  in  Dutch,  an  overseer^  a 
guardian,  who  is  on  the  watch  or  look-out,  and  takes 
notice  of  what  every  one  around  him  wants.  Observe, 
then,  how  a  bishop  and  an  elder  are  one  and  the  same 
thing.  So  that  that  is  false  which  they  now  say,  that 
the  bishop's  office  is  a  dignity,  and  that  lie  is  a  bishop 
who  wears  a  pointed  hat  on  his  head.  It  is  not  a 
dignity,  but  a  ministry  ;  so  that  he  who  has  it  should 
oversee  and  provide  for  us,  and  be  our  guardian,  so  as 
to  know  what  is  generally  needed  ;  that  when  one  is 
weak  and  has  a  troubled  conscience,  he  should  then 
give  help  and  comfort ;  when  one  falls,  that  he  should 
raise  him  up,  and  things  of  this  sort ;  so  that  the  people 
of  Christ  may  sufficiently  be  cared  for,  both  in  soul 
and  body.  For  this  reason,  I  have  often  said,  that  if  a 
proper  form  of  government  was  to  be  now  established, 
there  must  in  such  a  case  be  in  one  city  as  many  as 
three  or  four  bishops,  who  should  have  the  oversight 
and  care  of  the  Church,  providing  for  the  general 
wants. 

And  here  St.  Peter  touches  on  two  points  which 
might  well  appal  any  one  from  taking  the  charge  over 
a  people.  In  the  first  place,  there  are  some  to  be  found 
who  are  truly  devoted,  yet  yield  reluctantly  to  becom- 
ing preachers  ;  for  it  is  a  wearisome  office  for  any  one 
to  have  the  general  oversight, — how  the  sheep  live,  so 
as  to  direct  and  help  them, — since  there  must  be  over- 


CHAP,  v.]  GENERAL   OF   ST.    PETER.  225 

sight  and  watchfulness  night  and  day,  that  the  wolf  do 
not  break  in  ;  so  that  body  and  life  must  be  devoted  to 
it.  Therefore  he  says,  you  are  not  to  do  it  of  constraint. 
True  it  is,  that  no  one  should  force  himself  uncalled 
into  the  ministry  ;  but  if  he  is  called  and  required  for 
it,  he  should  enter  it  willingly,  and  discharge  what  his 
office  demaiids.  For  they  who  do  it  from  constraint, 
and  who  have  no  appetite  and  love  for  it,  will  not 
properly  discharge  it. 

But  there  are  others,  worse  than  these,  who  stand 
up  before  the  people  and  thereby  seek  their  own  gain, 
so  as  to  feed  their  own  belly.  These  men  are  anxious 
for  the  wool  and  milk  of  the  sheep  ;  they  ask  no  ques- 
tions about  the  food, — just  the  course  of  our  bishops 
now, — a  thing  that  has  become  almost  everywhere  a 
scandal  and  a  shame,  for  in  a  bishop  it  is  especially 
scandalous.  For  this  reason  both  the  apostles  Peter 
and  Paul,  as  well  as  the  prophets  also,  have  repeatedly 
spoken  of  it.  So  Moses  says,  "  You  know  that  I  have 
coveted  no  man's  cattle."  The  prophet  Samuel,  also, 
"  You  know  that  I  have  taken  of  you  no  man's  ass  or 
ox."  For  if  he  whose  duty  it  is  to  feed  the  flock  is 
anxious  merely  for  wealth  and  gain,  he  will  in  a  sliort 
time  become  a  wolf  himself. 

y.  2.  But  of  a  ready  mind.     That  is,  that  a  bishop 
have  an  appetite  and  inclination  thereto.     This  is  the 
character  of  those  who  willingly  minister,  and  do  not 
10* 


226  THE   FIRST  EPISTLE  [CHAP.  V. 

seek  the  wool  of  the  sheep.  Thus  we  have  two  kinds 
of  false  shepherds :  the  one,  those  who  serve  unwill- 
ingly ;  the  other,  those  who  do  it  gladly,  but  for  the 
sake  of  avarice. — Further,  he  says  : 

Y.  3.  Not  as  lords  over  the  heritage.  This  is  the 
character  of  those  who  rule  willingly  enough  for  honor's 
sake,  in  order  that  they  may  rise  high,  and  become 
powerful  tyrants.  Therefore  he  admonishes  them  that 
they  should  not  act  as  though  the  people  was  subject 
to  them,  so  that  they  might  be  gentlemen,  and  might  do 
as  they  chose.  For  we  have  a  Master,  who  is  Christ, 
who  rules  over  our  spirits.  Tlie  bishops  are  to  do  no 
more  than  feed  the  sheep.  Here  St.  Peter  has  broken 
down  and  condemned  all  that  rule  which  the  Pope  now 
maintains,  and  clearly  determines  that  they  have  not 
power  to  give  one  word  of  additional  command,  but 
that  they  are  to  be  only  servants,  and  say,  "  Thus  saith 
Christ  thy  Master,  therefore  you  are  to  do  it."  So 
Christ  also  speaks  :  "  The  kings  of  this  world  have 
dominion,  and  men  call  them  who  are  in  authority 
their  gracious  lords  ;  but  you  are  not  to  be  like  them." 
Now  the  Pope  speaks  the  reverse, — "  Ye  shall  rule  and 
have  authority." 

Y.  3-4.  But  he  ye  an  example  for  thefloch;  so  shall  ?/e, 
when  the  Chief  Shepherd  shall  appear^  receive  the  en- 
during crown.  That  is,  see  to  it  that  you  go  before 
them  at  their  head,  and  exhibit  such  a  conduct  that 


CHAP,  v.]  GENERAL   OF   ST.    PETER.  227 

your  life  may  be  an  example  to  the  people,  and  they 
may  follow  after  you.  But  our  bishops  say  to  the 
people,  "  Go  there  and  do  so  and  so  ;"  and  they  sit  on 
cushions  and  play  the  gentleman,  imposing  burdens 
on  us  which  they  will  not  bear  themselves,  while  they 
will  not  preach  a  word,  and  call  others  to  account  if 
they  have  not  done  it  for  them.  But  if  it  should  be 
required  of  them,  they  would  soon  be  weary  of  their 
dignity. 

Therefore  St.  Peter  does  not  appoint  any  temjioral 
reward  for  bishops.     As  though  he  would  say,  "  Your 
office  is  so  great  that  it  never  can  be  rewarded  here, 
but  ye  shall  receive  an  eternal  crown,   which  shall 
follow  it,  if  ye  truly  feed  the  sheep  of  Christ."     This 
is  the  admonition  which  St.  Peter  gives  to  those  who 
are  to  care  for  souls,  from  whence  you  may  confidently 
infer  and  clearly  prove,  that  the  Pope,  along  with  his 
bishops,  is  Antichrist,  or  an  enemy  of  Christ,  since  he 
does  nothing  of  that  which  St.  Peter  here  requires, 
and  neither  teaches  nor  practices  it  himself,  but  even : 
acts  the  counterpart,  and  will  not  only  not  feed  the' 
sheep  or  let  them  be  fed,  but  is  himself  a  wolf  audi 
tears  them,  and  yet  makes  it  is  boast  that  he  is  tlie 
vicar  of  the  Lord  Christ.     He  certainly  is  that,  for 
since  Christ  is  not  there,  he,  like  tlie  devil,  sits  and 
rules  in  Christ's  place. 

Whence  it  is  necessary  carefully  to  remember  these 
plain  texts  and  others  like  them,  and  to  hold  them  up 


228  THE    FIRST   EPISTLE  [CHAP.  V. 

against  the  Pope's  government,  so  that  when  any  one 
asks  or  questions  you,  you  may  be  able  to  answer  and 
say,  "  Christ  said  and  practised  so  and  so  ;  the  Pope 
teaches  and  practices  directly  the  opposite.  Since 
they  are  opposed  to  one  another  one  of  them  must  be 
false  ;  but  certainly  Christ  is  not.  Whence  I  conclude 
that  the  Pope  is  a  liar  and  the  real  Antichrist." 

In  this  way  must  you  be  prepared  with  Scripture,  so 
that  you  can  not  only  challenge  the  Pope  as  Anti- 
christ, but  know  how  to  prove  it  clearly,  so  that  you 
could  die  secure  of  it,  and  withstand  the  devil  even  in 
death. — It  follows,  further  : 

V.  5.  Likewise^  ye  younger,  submit  yourselves  unto  the 
elders.  We  have  now  the  last  admonition  in  this 
chapter.  St.  Peter  would  have  such  order  in  the 
christian  church,  that  the  young  should  follow  the 
old,  so  that  all  may  go  on  harmoniously  ;  those  beneath 
submissive  to  those  above  them.  If  this  were  now  to 
be  enforced,  we  should  not  need  many  laws.  He 
would  strictly  have  it  so  that  the  younger  shall  be 
directed  according  to  the  understanding  of  the  older, 
as  these  shall  best  judge  that  it  shall  be  for  the  praise 
of  God,  But  St.  Peter  presumes  that  such  elders  are 
to  be  instructed  and  established  in  the  Holy  Ghost 
For  should  it  happen  that  they  are  themselves  fools, 
and  without  understanding,  no  good  government  could 
originate  with  them  ;  but  if  they  are  persons  of  good 


CHAP,  v.]  GENERAL   OF   ST.    PETER.  229 

understanding,  then  it  is  well  that  they  should  rule  the 
youth.  But  St.  Peter  is  not  speaking  here  of  civil, 
but  of  church  government,  that  the  elders  should  rule 
those  that  are  spiritually  younger,  whether  they  be 
priests  or  even  old  men. 

Be  ye  all  of  you  subject  one  to  another^  and  therein 
manifest  humility.  Here  he  turns  and  modifies  his 
command,  directing  each  to  be  subject  one  to  another. 
But  how  is  that  consistent,  that  the  elders  should  rule, 
and  yet  all  should  be  subject  one  to  the  other  ?  Are 
we  then  to  overturn  what  has  been  said  ?  Some  one 
perhaps  would  give  such  a  gloss  as  this,  that  St.  Peter 
spoke  above  of  the  elders, — here  he  speaks  of  the 
younger.  But  we  shall  let  the  words  stand,  granting 
that  they  are  spoken  generally  ;  as  Paul  also  says  in 
Rom.  xii.,  "  That  each  in  honor  prefer  one  another." 
The  younger  should  be  subject  to  the  old,  yet  in  such 
a  manner  that  the  latter  shall  not  regard  themselves 
as  masters,  but  even  should  submit  and  follow,  where 
a  younger  is  more  judicious  and  learned  ;  just  as  God 
in  the  Old  Testament  often  selected  young  men,  pro- 
vided they  were  more  wise  than  the  old. 

So  Christ  also  teaches,  in  Luke  xiv.  :  "  When  thou 
art  bidden,  sit  not  down  in  the  highest  place,  lest  a 
more  honorable  than  thou  be  bidden,  and  then  he  that 
bade  thee  and  him  come  and  say  to  thee,  give  this  man 
place  ;  and  thou  begin  with  shame  to  take  the  lower 


230  rai':  FIRST  P:risTLE  [chap.  v. 

place  ;  but  when  thou  art  bidden,  go  and  sit  down  in 
the  lowest  place,  that  when  he  that  bade  thee  cometh,  he 
may  say  unto  thee  :  Friend,  go  up  higher  ;"  and  then  he 
introduces  the  passage  as  it  is  found  in  many  places  : 
"  He  who  exalteth  himself  shall  be  humbled,  and  he 
that  humbleth  himself  shall  be  exalted." 

Therefore  should  the  younger  be  subject  to  the  elder, 
and  yet  the  elder  on  the  other  hand  should  be  so  dis- 
posed that  each  one  in  his  heart  shall  hold  himself  as 
the  least.  Were  this  done  we  should  have  delightful 
peace,  and  all  would  go  well  on  earth.  This,  there- 
fore, says  he,  should  we  do,  exhibit  humility. 

For  God  resisteth  the  proud  hut  giveth  grace  to  the 
humUe.  That  is,  those  who  will  not  give  place  God 
casts  down  ;  and  on  the  other  hand,  he  exalts  those 
who  humble  themselves.  It  is  a  common  expression — 
would  to  God  he  lived  like  common  folks. 

V.  6.  Humble  yourselves  therefore  under  the  mighty 
hand  of  God.  Since  God  requires  that  each  should  be 
subject  to  the  other  ;  if  it  is  done  willingly  and  cheer- 
fully, he  will  exalt  you.  But  if  you  will  not  do  it 
willingly,  you  shall  do  it  from  constraint.  He  will 
cast  you  down. 

Tliat  He  may  exalt  you  in  his  own  iirne.  It  seems, 
when  God  suffers  his  own  children  to  be  cast  down,  as 
though  he  would  at  length  desert  tliem.  Tlicrcforo  lie 
says  :    Do   not  mistake   on  tliis   account,  and   suffer 


CHAP,  v.]  GENERAL   OF   ST.    PETER.  231 

yourself  to  be  blinded,  but  be  confident,  since  you  have 
a  sure  promise  that  it  is  God's  hand  and  will.  There- 
fore should  you  not  regard  the  time,  however  long  it 
be,  that  you  are  brought  low  ;  for  though  He  has  cast 
you  down,  He  will  yet  lift  you  up.     Hence  it  follows  : 

Y.  7.  Cast  all  your  cares  upon  Him^for  Hecarethjor 
you.  You  have  such  a  promise  as  this,  whereby  you 
may  rest  secure  that  God  doth  not  forsake  you,  hut 
caretk  for  you.  Therefore  let  all  your  cares  go,  and 
cast  your  burden  on  Him.  These  words  are  exceed- 
ingly precious  ;  how  could  He  have  made  them  more 
sweet  or  tender?  Why  does  He  employ  so  great 
allurement  ?  It  is  in  order  that  no  one  might  easily 
despond  and  give  up  his  purpose.  Therefore  He  gives 
us  such  consolation  as  this  :  that  God  not  only  looks 
upon  us,  but  cares  also  for  us,  and  has  a  heartfelt  re- 
gard for  our  lot.     He  further  says  : 

Y.  8.  Be  sober,  be  vigilant,  for  your  adversary  the  devil 
goeth  about  as  a  roaring  lion,  seeking  whom  he  may 
devour.  Here  he  gives  us  a  warning,  and  would  open 
our  eyes,  and  it  would  be  well  worthy  that  the  text 
sliould  be  written  in  golden  letters.  Here  you  per- 
ceive what  this  life  is,  and  how  it  is  described,  so  that 
we  might  well  be  ever  wishing  that  we  were  dead. 
We  are  here  in  the  devil's  kingdom,  just  as  in  case  a 
pilgrim  should  arrive  at  an  inn,  where  he  knew  that 
all  in  the  house  were  robbers  ;  if  he  must  enter  there  he 


232  THE   FIRST   EPISTLE  [CHAP.  V. 

will  yet  arm  himself  in  the  best  way  he  can  devise,  and 
will  sleep  but  little  :  so  are  we  now  on  earth,  where 
the  prince  is  an  evil  spirit,  and  has  the  hearts  of  men 
in  his  power,  doing  by  them  as  he  will.  It  is  a  fearful 
thought  if  we  properly  regard  it.  Therefore  St.  Peter 
would  warn  us  to  take  heed  to  ourselves,  and  act  the 
part  of  a  faithful  servant,  who  knows  the  state  of 
things  here.  For  this  reason  he  says  :  be  sober,  for 
they  who  indulge  themselves  here  in  eating  and  drink- 
ing, and  are  like  fat  swine,  are  such  as  can  be  fitted  for 
nothing  useful.  Therefore  must  we  have  ever  by  us 
such  a  talisman  as  this. 

And  be  vigilant  (he  says),  not  only  as  to  the  spirit 
but  also  as  to  the  body.  For  a  vitiated  body,  prone  to 
sleep  when  it  eats  and  drinks  itself  full,  will  give  the 
devil  no  opposition,  though  it  belong  even  to  those 
swine  who  have  a  faith  and  spirit. 

Wherefore  should  we  then  be  sober  and  vigilant  ? 
Beccmse  your  enemy  the  devil  goetJi  about  as  a  i^oaring 
lion,  seeJcing  luliom  lie  may  devour.  The  evil  spirit, 
sleeps  not — is  cunning  and  wicked.  He  has  purposed 
with  himself  that  he  will  assault  us,  and  he  knows  the 
right  trick  therefor  ;  goes  about  like  a  lion  that  is 
hungry,  and  roars  as  though  he  would  gladly  devour 
all.  Here  St.  Peter  gives  us  an  important  admonition, 
and  forewarns  us  of  our  enemy,  that  we  may  protect 
ourselves  against  him  ;  as  Paul  also  says,  "  we  are  not 
ignorant  of  the  devices  of  the  wicked  spirit."     That 


CHAP,  v.]  GENERAL    OF   ST.    PETEK.  233 

"  going  about"  tends  to  make  us  heedless,  and  there- 
upon follow  wrath,  hatred,  pride,  lust,  contempt  of  God. 

And  here  observe  especially,  that  he  says  the  devil 
goeth  about.  He  does  not  pass  before  your  eyes,  when 
you  are  armed  against  him,  but  looks  out  before  and 
behind  you,  within  and  without,  where  he  may  attack 
you.  If  he  now  meets  you  here,  he  will  quickly  return 
there,  and  attack  you  in  another  place  ;  he  changes 
from  one  side  to  the  other,  and  employs  every  kind  of 
cunning  and  art  that  he  may  bring  you  to  fall ;  and  if 
you  are  well  prepared  in  one  place,  he  will  quickly 
fall  in  upon  another  ;  and  if  he  cannot  overthrow  you 
there,  then  he  assaults  you  somewhere  else,  and  so 
never  gives  it  up,  but  goes  round  and  round,  and 
leaves  no  rest  to  any  one.  If  we  then  are  fools  and  do 
not  regard  it,  but  go  on  and  take  no  heed,  then  has 
he  as  good  as  seized  upon  us. 

Let  every  one  now  look  to  this ;  surely  each  shall 
trace  something  of  this  in  his  own  experience.  He 
that  has  examined  knows  it  well.  Therefore  it  is  so 
sad  for  us  that  we  go  about  so  heedlessly.  If  we 
rightly  regard  it,  we  should  cry  out,  death  rather  than 
life.  Job  has  spoken  thus :  "  Man's  life  on  earth  is 
nothing  but  an  encampment,  a  mere  conflict  and 
strife."  Why  then  does  God  thus  leave  us  in  life  and 
misery  ?  In  order  that  faith  may  be  exercised  and 
grow,  and  that  hastening  out  of  this  life,  we  may  have 
a  desire  of  death,  and  an  anxiety  to  depart. 


234  THE   FIRST   EPISTLE  [CHAP.  V. 

V.  9.  Whom  withstand,  firm  in  the  faith.  Sober  you 
should  be,  and  vigilant,  but  to  this  end, — the  body  must 
be  in  a  proper  frame.  Yet  with  all  this,  the  devil  is 
not  routed  ;  this  only  suffices  to  afford  the  body  less 
occasion  for  sin.  The  true  sword  is  this,  that  ye  be 
strong  and  firm  in  the  faith.  If  you  in  heart  grasp  hold 
of  the  word  of  God  and  maintain  your  hold  by  faith, 
then  the  devil  cannot  gain  the  advantage,  but  will  be 
compelled  to  fly.  If  you  can  say,  "  This  has  my  God 
said — on  this  I  stand,"  then  shall  ye  see  that  he  will 
quickly  depart,  and  ill-humor,  evil  lusts,  wrath,  av- 
arice, melancholy  and  doubt,  will  all  vanish.  But  the 
devil  is  artful,  and  does  not  readily  permit  you  to 
come  to  this,  and  so  assaults  you  in  order  to  take  the 
sword  out  of  your  hand ;  if  he  can  make  you  full,  so 
that  your  body  is  unguarded  and  inclined  to  wanton- 
ness, then  will  he  quickly  wrench  the  sword  from  your 
grasp.  Thus  He  served  Eve  :  she  had  God's  word  ;  if 
she  had  continued  to  depend  on  it  she  would  not  have 
fallen,  but  when  the  devil  saw  that  she  held  the  word 
so  loosely,  he  tore  it  from  her  heart,  so  that  she  let  it 
go  and  he  triumphed. 

Thus  St.  Peter  has  sufficiently  instructed  us  how  to 
contend  with  the  devil.  It  requires  not  much  running 
hither  and  thither  ;  is  besides  a  work  that  you  can  do, 
yet  no  longer  than  you  depend  through  faith  on  the 
word  of  God.  If  he  conies  and  would  drive  you  into 
despondency  because  of  sin,  only  seize  hold  of  the  word 


CHAP,  v.]  GENERAL   OF   ST.    PETER.  235 

of  God  that  speaks  of  the  forgiveness  of  sin,  and  ven- 
ture yourself  thereon  ;  then  will  he  be  compelled 
quickly  to  let  you  alone.     St.  Peter  says,  moreover : 

Knowing  that  the  same  afflictions  are  accomplished  in 
your  brethren  that  are  in  the  world.  That  is,  be  not  sur- 
prised that  you  must  meet  opposition  from  the  devil  ; 
but  comfort  yourselves,  inasmuch  as  ye  are  not  alone, 
but  there  are  others  besides  you  who  must  endure  such 
suffering,  and  reflect  that  you  have  your  brethren  to 
share  with  you  in  the  strife. 

There  now  you  have  the  Epistle  in  which  you  have 
sufficiently  heard  a  truly  christian  doctrine  ;  in  what  a 
masterly  manner  he  has  described  faith,  love,  and  the 
Holy  Cross  ;  and  how  he  instructs  and  warns  us  as  to 
how  we  should  contend  with  the  devil.  Whoever 
comprehends  this  Epistle,  has  doubtless  enough,  so  that 
he  needs  nothing  more  but  that  God  teach  him  richly 
from  that  which  likewise  overflows  in  the  other  books. 
But  that  is  besides  nothing  different  from  this ;  for 
here  the  Apostle  has  forgotten  nothing  which  it  is 
necessary  for  a  Christian  to  know. 

Finally,  he  does  what  every  faithful  preacher  should 
do,  in  that  he  not  only  takes  care  to  feed  the  sheep, 
but  also  cares  and  prays  for  them  ;  and  concludes  with 
a  prayer  that  God  may  give  them  grace  and  strength, 
that  they  may  understand  and  retain  the  word. 


236  THE    FIRST   EPISTLE  [CHAP.  V. 

y.  10.  But  the  God  of  all  grace  who  hath  called  us  unto 
His  Eternal  glory  hy  Christ  Jesus,  after  that  ye  have  suf- 
fered a  while,  make  you  perfect,  establish,  strengthen,  settle 
you.  That  is  the  wish  wherewith  he  commits  them  to 
God — God,  who  alone  bestows  grace,  and  not  a  single 
grace,  but  all  grace  richly  in  one,  who  has  called  you 
through  Christ  that  ye  might  have  Eternal  glory,  not 
through  any  desert  of  your  own,  but  for  Christ's  sake  ; 
if  ye  have  Him,  ye  have  through  faith,  without  merit 
of  yours.  Eternal  glory  and  salvation,  which  will  pre- 
pare you,  that  you  may  be  strong,  grow,  and  stand, 
and  that  ye  may  be  able  to  accomplish  much  ;  and  to 
this  end  He  will  strengthen  and  establish  you,  that  ye 
may  be  able  to  bear  and  suffer  all. 

y.  11.  To  him  he  praise  and  power  for  ever  and  ever, 
Amen.  Praise  is  the  sacrifice  that  we  as  Christians 
should  offer  up  to  God.   He  only  adds,  in  conclusion  : 

y.  12.  By  your  faithful  brother  Silvanus,  {as  I  suppose), 
have  I  luritten  briefly,  to  admonish  and  manifest  that  this 
is  the  true  grace  of  God  wherein  ye  stand.  Although  I 
well  know  (he  would  say)  that  you  have  heard  this 
before  and  know  it  well,  so  that  you  do  not  need  that 
I  should  teach  it  unto  you,  yet  have  I  written  this  to 
you  (as  those  that  are  truly  Apostles  should  do),  tliat 
I  might  also  admonish  you  that  you  abide  therein, 
since  you  are  tried  and  exercised  ;  and  you  are  not 


CHAP,  v.]  GENERAL   OP   ST.    PETER.  237 

to  imagine  that  I  preach  any  otherwise  than  as  you 
have  already  heard. 

y.  13.  The  Church  that  is  at  Babylon  greets  you. 
Such  was  the  practice  of  writing  in  the  Epistles  the 
farewell.  The  Church  at  Babylon^  says  he,  greets  you. 
I  suppose,  but  am  not  fully  confident,  that  he  here 
meant  Rome,  for  it  has  been  generally  supposed  that 
the  Epistle  was  written  from  Rome.  Still,  there  were 
two  Babylons, — one  in  Chaldea,  the  other  in  Egypt, 
which  is  now  Al  Cair.  But  Rome  is  not  called  Baby- 
lon, except  figuratively,  in  the  sense,  as  was  said  above. 
of  thronging  corruption.  Thus,  Babel  means,  in  the 
Hebrew,  a  confusion.  So,  perhaps,  he  has  called  Rome 
a  confusion,  or  Babel,  since  there  was  also  such  disor- 
derly conduct,  and  a  confused  multitude  of  all  kinds 
of  shameful  practices  and  vices ;  and  whatever  in  the 
whole  world  was  scandalous  had  flown  together  there. 
In  this  same,  he  says,  is  a  church  gathered  of  such  as 
are  Christians,  who  greet  you.  But  I  will  readily 
leave  every  one  to  hold  it  as  he  will,  for  no  impor- 
tance attaches  to  it. 

3Iy  son,  31arcusy  also.  Some  say  that  he  here  means 
Mark,  the  Evangelist,  and  calls  him  his  son,  not  lite- 
rally, but  spiritually, — as  Paul  calls  Timothy  and  Titus 
his  sons,  and  says  to  the  Corinthians  that  he  has 
begotten  them  in  Christ. 


238  THE   FIRST   EPISTLE  [CHAP.  V. 

y.  14.  Greet  ye  one  another  tvith  a  kiss  of  charity. 
This  custom  has  now  passed  away.  In  the  Gospel  we 
read  distinctly  that  Christ  received  his  disciples  with 
a  kiss,  and  such  was  then  a  practice  in  those  lands. 
Of  this  kiss,  St.  Paul  often  speaks,  also. 

Peace  he  tvith  you  all  that  are  in  Christ  Jesus. 
Amen.  That  is,  who  believe  in  Christ.  This  is  the 
adieu  wherewith  he  commits  them  to  God. — Thus  we 
have  concluded  this  first  Epistle.  God  grant  His 
grace,  that  we  may  hold  and  keep  it.    Amen. 


THE  SECOKD  EPISTLE 

GENERAL  OF  ST.  PETER. 


PREFACE. 

St.  Peter  wrote  this  Epistle  because  he  saw  how 
the  true,  pure  doctrine  of  faith  had  become  falsified, 
darkened  and  suppressed.  And  he  has  wished  to  meet 
a  two-fold  error,  springing  from  a  wrong  understand- 
ing of  the  doctrine  of  faith,  and  guard  against  it  in 
both  directions  ;  namely,  that  we  should  not  ascribe 
to  works  the  power  of  making  us  righteous  and  accept- 
able before  God,  though  these  works  belong  to  faith  ; 
and,  on  the  other  hand,  that  no  one  should  think  that 
there  may  be  faith  without  good  works.  For  if  any 
one  preaches  concerning  faith,  that  it  justifies  us  with- 
out any  addition  of  works,  the  people  say,  "  One  need 
do  no  works,"  as  we  see  it  in  our  daily 'experience  ; 
and,  on  the  other  hand,  when  they  fall  on  works  and 
exalt  them,  faith  must  be  prostrated,  so  that  the  mid- 
dle way  is  one  to  be  retained  with  difiiculty,  where 
there  are  not  preachers  of  the  right  kind. 

[239] 


240  THE   SECOND   EPISTLE 

Now,  we  have  ever  taught  this  doctrine,  that  to  faith 
we  are  to  ascribe  all  things,  one  as  well  as  another  ; 
that  it  alone  makes  us  just  and  holy  in  the  sight  of 
God.  Moreover,  that  if  faith  is  present,  out  of  it  good 
works  must  and  should  proceed,  since  it  is  even  impo;:^- 
sible  that  we  should  pass  this  our  life  quite  indolent, 
and  do  no  works.  Thus  St.  Peter  in  this  Epistle 
would  also  teach  us,  and  thus  meet  those  who  perhaps 
out  of  the  former  Epistle  might  have  received  the 
wrong  apprehension  that  it  sufficed  for  faith,  though 
we  should  at  the  same  time  do  no  work.  And  against 
this  the  first  chapter  especially  aims,  wherein  he  teaches 
that  believers  should  try  themselves  by  good  works, 
and  become  assured  of  their  faith. 

The  second  chapter  is  against  those  who  exalt  works 
merely,  and  depreciate  faith.  Therefore  he  admon- 
ishes them  against  the  false  teachers  who  should  come, 
who,  through  the  teachings  of  men,  should  destroy 
faith  entirely.  For  he  clearly  saw  what  a  cruel  trial 
there  would  yet  be  in  the  world,  as  had  even  then 
already  begun  ;  as  St.  Paul  says,  II.  Thes.  ii.,  "  The 
mystery  of  iniquity  already  works." 

Thus  is  this  Epistle  written  as  a  warning  for  us, 
that  we  prove  our  faith  by  our  good  works,  and  yet 
that  we  trust  not  to  our  works. 


CHAP.  I.J  GENERAL   OF   ST.    PETEK.  241 


CHAPTER   I. 

V.  1.  Simon  Peter,  a  servant  and  Apostle  of  Jesus 
Christ,  to  those  who  have  attained  like  faith  tvith  us, 
in  the  righteousness  tvhich  our  God  gives,  aiid  our 
Saviour,  Jesus  Christ.  Such  is  the  subscription  and 
the  superscription  of  this  Epistle,  that  we  may  know 
who  writes  it,  and  to  whom  he  writes  it,  even  to  those 
who  have  heard  the  word  of  God  and  abide  in  the 
faith.  But  what  sort  of  a  faith  is  this  ?  In  the  right- 
eousness (says  he)  which  God  gives.  Thus  he  grants 
justification  to  faith  alone, — as  St.  Paul,  also,  in 
Rom.  i.  In  the  Gospel  is  that  righteousness  revealed 
which  avails  with  God,  which  comes  from  faith  ;  as  it 
stands  written  :  "  The  just  shall  live  by  faith."  Thus 
St.  Peter  would  admonish  them  that  they  should  be 
armed,  and  not  let  the  doctrine  of  faith  be  torn  away, 
which  they  have  now  apprehended  and  thoroughly 
known. 

And  to  this  end  he  adjoins,  in  the  righteousness  lohich 
God  gives,  that  he  may  separate  from  it  all  human 
righteousness.  For  by  faith  alone  are  we  righteous 
before  God  ;  wherefore  faith  is  called  a  righteousness 
of  God,  for  with  the  world  it  is  of  no  account ;  yea,  it 
is  even  condemned. 
11 


242  THE   SECOND   EPISTLE  [CHAP.  I. 

V.  2.  Grace  and  peace  he  multiplied  among  you^ 
through  the  knowledge  of  God  and  Jesus  Christ  our 
Lord,  This  is  the  greeting  usually  prefixed  to  the 
Epistles  ;  and  it  amounts  to  this  :  I  wish  you,  in  place 
of  my  service  for  you,  to  increase  in  grace  and  peace, 
and  grow  ever  richer  and  richer  in  the  grace  which 
comes  from  the  knowledge  of  God  and  the  Lord 
Christ, — that  is,  which  none  can  have  but  he  who  has 
the  knowledge  of  God  and  Jesus  Christ. 

The  Apostles,  and  the  prophets  also,  in  the  Scrip- 
ture, are  ever  setting  forth  the  knowledge  of  God. 
As  Isaiah,  xi :  "  They  shall  not  injure  or  destroy  in 
my  whole  mountain,  for  the  land  is  filled  with  the 
knowledge  of  God,  as  the  land  is  covered  with  the 
water."  That  is,  so  overflowingly  shall  the  knowledge 
of  God  break  forth,  as  when  a  mass  of  water  gushes 
up  and  rushes  forth  and  swallows  up  a  whole  land. 

Thence  shall  such  peace  then  follow,  that  no  one 
shall  wrong  another,  or  make  him  suffer. 

But  this  is  not  to  know  God,  that  you  should  believe 
as  the  Turks,  Jews,  and  devils  believe,  that  God  has 
created  all  things,  or  even  that  Christ  was  born  of  a 
virgin,  suffered,  died,  and  rose  again  ;  but  this  is  the 
true  knowledge,  whereby  you  hold  and  know  that  God 
is  thy  God  and  Christ  is  thy  Christ,  which  the  devil 
and  the  false  christians  could  not  believe.  So  that  this 
knowledge  is  nothing  else  but  a  true  christian  faith  ; 
for  if  vou  thus  know  God  and  Christ,  you  will  then 


CHAP.  I.]  GENERAL   OF   ST.    PETER.  243 

confide  in  them  with  your  whole  heart,  and  trust  them 
in  good  and  ill,  in  life  and  death.  Such  trust  evil  con- 
sciences cannot  possess.  For  they  know  no  more  of 
God,  except  that  He  is  a  God  of  St.  Peter  and  all  the 
saints  in  heaven.  But  as  their  own  God  they  know 
Him  not,  but  hold  Him  as  their  task-master  and  angry 
judge.  To  have  God,  is  to  have  all  grace,  all  mercy, 
and  all  that  man  can  well  receive  ;  to  have  Christ,  is 
to  have  the  Saviour  and  Mediator,  who  has  brought  us 
to  say  that  God  is  ours,  and  has  obtained  all  grace  for 
us  with  Him.  This  also  must  be  implied,  that  Christ  is 
yours  and  you  are  His,  then  have  you  a  true  knowledge. 
A  woman  that  lives  unmarried  can  well  say  that  a  man 
is  a  husband,  but  this  can  she  not  say,  that  he  is  her 
husband.  So  may  we  all  well  say,  this  is  a  God,  but 
this  we  cannot  say  all  of  us,  that  He  is  oin-  God,  for  we 
cannot  all  trust  upon  Him  nor  comfort  ourselves  as  His. 
To  this  knowledge  belongs  also  that  which  tlie  Scrip- 
ture calls  faciem  et  vultum  domini,  the  face  of  the  Lord' 
whereof  the  prophets  speak  much  ;  who  ever  sees  not 
the  face  of  the  Lord  knows  Him  not,  but  sees  only  His 
back, — that  is,  an  angry  and  ungracious  God. 

xVnd  here  you  perceive,  that  St.  Peter  does  not  set 
himself  particularly  to  write  of  faith,  since  he  had 
already  done  that  sufficiently  in  the  First  Epistle,  but 
would  admonish  believers  that  they  should  prove  tlieir 
faith  by  good  works  ;  for  he  would  not  have  a  faith 
without  good  works,  nor  works  without  faith,  but  faith 


244  THE   SECOND   EPISTLE  [CHAP.  I. 

first  and  good  works  on  and  from  faith.     Therefore, 
he  says,  now,  also  : 

V.  3.  Accordiyig  as  His  divine  power  (whatever  serves 
for  life  and  godliness)  is  abundantly  given  us.  This  is 
the  first  point,  where  Peter  essays  to  describe  what 
sort  of  blessings  we  have  received  through  faith  from 
God,  even  that  to  us  (since  we  have  known  God  by  faith) 
there  is  given  every  kind  of  divine  power.  But  what 
sort  of  power  is  it?  It  is  such  power  as  serves  us 
toward  life  and  godliness ;  that  is,  when  we  believe,  then 
we  attain  this  much,  that  God  gives  us  the  fullness  of  His 
power,  which  is  so  with  and  in  us,  that  what  we  speak 

^and  work,  it  is  not  we  that  do  it,  but  God  Himself  does 
it.  He  is  strong,  powerful,  and  almighty  in  us,  though 
we  even  suffer  and  die,  and  are  weak  in  the  eyes  of  the 
world.  So  that  there  is  no  power  nor  ability  in  us  if 
we  have  not  this  power  of  God. 

But  this  power  of  God  which  is  in  us,  St.  Peter  would 

^  not  have  so  explained,  as  that  we  might  make  heaven 
and  earth,  and  should  work  such  miracles  as  God  does  ; 
for  how  would  we  be  advantaged  by  it  ?  But  we  have 
the  power  of  God  within  us  so  far  as  it  is  useful  and 

y  necessary  to  us.  Therefore,  the  Apostle  adjoins,  and 
says,  whatever  serves  for  life  and  godliness;  that  is,  we 
have  such  power  of  God  that  by  it  we  are  eminently 
favored  with  grace  to  do  good  and  to  live  forever. 

Through  the  knowledge  of  Him  who  hath  called  us. 


CHAP.  I.]  GENERAL    OF   ST.    PETER.  245 

Such  power  of  God,  and  such  rich  grace,  come  from  no 
other  source  but  from  this  knowledge  of  God  ;  for  if 
you  count  Him  for  a  God,  He  will  deal  also  with  you 
in  all  things  as  a  God.     So  Paul  also  says,  I.  Cor.  i., 
"  Ye  are  in  all  points  enriched  in  every  kind  of  word 
and  knowledge,  even  as  the  preaching  of  Christ  is  made 
powerful  in  you,  so  that  ye  have  henceforth  no  want." 
This  is  now  the  greatest  thing  of  all,  the  noblest  and 
most  needful  that  God  can  give  us,— so  that  we  are  not 
to  receive  all  that  is  in  heaven  and  on  earth  ;  for  what 
would  it  help  you,  though  you  were  able  to  go  through 
fire  and  water,  and  do  all  kinds  of  wonderful  works, 
and  had  not  this?     Many  people  who  perform  such 
miracles  shall  be  condemned.     But  this  is  wonderful 
above  all  things  else,  that  God  gives  us  such  power, 
that  thereby  all  our  sins  are  forgiven  and  blotted  out, 
death,  the  devil  and  hell,  subdued  and  vanquished  ;  so 
that  we  have  an  unharassed  conscience  and  a  happy 
heart,  and  fear  for  nothing. 

Through  His  glory  and  virtue.  How  does  that  call 
come,  whereby  we  are  called  of  God  ?  Thus  :  God  has 
permitted  the  holy  Gospel  to  go  forth  into  the  world  and 
be  made  known,  though  no  man  had  ever  before  striven 
for  it,  or  sought  or  prayed  for  it,  of  Him.  But  ere  man 
had  ever  thought  of  it,  He  has  offered,  bestowed,  and 
beyond  all  measure  richly  shed  forth  such  grace,  so  that 
He  alone  has  the  glory  and  the  praise  ;  and  we  ascribe 


246  THE   SECOND   EPISTLE  [CHAP.  I. 

to  Him  alone  the  virtue  and  the  power,  for  it  is  not  our 
work,  but  His  only.  Wherefore,  since  the  calling  is 
not  of  us,  we  should  not  exalt  ourselves  as  though  we 
had  done  it,  but  render  to  Him  praise  and  thanksgiv- 
ing, because  He  has  given  us  the  Gospel,  and  thereby 
granted  us  power  and  might  against  the  devil,  death, 
and  all  evil. 

V.  4.  Whereby  are  given  unto  us  exceeding  precious 
and  great  promises.  St.  Peter  adjoins  this,  that  he  may 
explain  the  nature  and  method  of  faith.  If  we  know 
Him  as  God,  then  do  we  have  through  faith  that  eternal 
life  and  divine  power  wherewith  we  subdue  death  and 
the  devil.  Though  we  see  and  grasp  it  not,  yet  is  it 
promised  to  us.  We  really  have  it  all,  though  it  does 
not  yet  appear,  but  at  the  last  day  we  shall  see  it  pres- 
ent before  us.  Here  it  begins  in  faith  ;  though  we  have 
it  not  in  its  fullness,  we  have  yet  the  assurance  that  we 
live  here  in  the  power  of  God,  and  shall  afterward  be 
saved  forever. 

Whoever  has  this  faith  has  the  promise ;  whoever  does 
not  believe  possesses  it  not,  and  must  be  lost  forever. 
How  great  and  precious  a  thing  this  is,  Peter  explains 
further,  and  says : 

So  that  ye  by  the  same  might  become  partakers  of  the 
divine  nature^  while  ye  flee  from  the  corrupting  lusts  of 
the  world.  This  we  have,  he  says,  through  the  power 
of  faith,  that  we  should  be  partakers  and  have  associa- 


CHAP.  I.  j  GENERAL    OF    ST.    PETER.  247 

tiou  or  communion  with  the  divine  nature.  This  is  such 
a  passage  that  the  like  of  it  does  not  stand  in  the  New 
or  Old  Testament,  although  it  is  a  small  matter  with 
the  unbelieving  that  we  should  have  communion  with 
the  divine  nature  itself.   But  what  is  the  divine  nature  ? 
It  is  eternal  truth,  righteousness,  wisdom  ;  eternal  life, 
peace,  joy,  happiness,  and  whatever  good  one  can  name. 
Whoever  then  becomes  partaker  of  the  divine  nature, 
attains  all  this,— that  he  is  to  live  forever,  and  have 
eternal  peace,  delight  and  joy,  and  is  to  be  perfectly 
pure,  just,  and  triumphant  over  the  devil,  sin  and  death. 
Therefore  St.  Peter  would  say  this  much  :   As  little  as 
any  one  can  take  away  from  God,  that  He  should  not 
be  eternal  life  and  eternal  truth,  just  as  little  shall  any 
one  take  it  away  from  you.    Whatever  one  does  to  you 
he  must  do  to  Him,  for  whoever  would  crush  a  Chris- 
tian must  crush  God. 

All  this,  that  word,  the  divine  nature,  implies,  and 
he  also  used  it  to  this  end,  that  he  might  include  it  all ; 
and  it  is  truly  a  great  thing  where  it  is  believed.  But, 
as  I  said  above,  this  is  merely  instruction,  in  which  he 
does  not  lay  down  a  ground  of  faith,  but  sets  forth 
what  great,  rich  blessings  we  receive  through  faith ; 
wherefore  he  says,  that  ye  shall  have  all  if  ye  so  live 
as  to  prove  your  faith,  whereby  ye  flee  worldly  lusts. 
So  he  speaks,  now,  further : 

V.  5.     Give  then  all  your  diligence,  and  add  to  your 


248  THE   SECOND    EPISTLE  [CHAP.  I. 

faith,  virtue.  Here  St.  Peter  takes  up  the  admonition, 
that  they  should  prove  their  faith  by  good  works. 
Since  such  great  blessing  is  bestowed  upon  you  through 
faith  (he  would  say),  that  ye  really  have  all  that  God 
is,  do  this  besides  :  be  diligent,  and  not  sluggish  ;  add 
to  your  faith,  virtue  ;  that  is,  let  your  faith  break  out 
before  the  world,  so  as  to  be  zealous,  busy,  powerful, 
and  active,  and  to  do  many  works  ;  let  it  not  remain 
idle  and  unfruitful.  Ye  have  a  good  inheritance  and 
a  good  field,  but  see  to  it  that  ye  do  not  let  thistles  and 
weeds  grow  upon  it. 

And  to  virtue,  discrimination.  Discrimination  or 
knowledge  is,  in  the  first  place,  that  one  should  manifest 
an  outward  conduct,  and  the  virtue  of  faith,  in  accord- 
ance with  reason.  For  we  should  so  far  bridle  and  check 
the  body,  that  we  may  be  sober,  vigorous,  and  fitted 
for  good  works  ;  not  that  we  should  torture  and  mortify 
ourselves  as  some  famous  saints  have  done.  For  though 
God  is  likewise  opposed  to  the  sins  that  remain  in  the 
flesh,  yet  does  He  not  require  that  for  this  reason  you 
should  destroy  the  body.  Its  viciousness  and  caprice 
you  should  guard  against,  but  yet  you  are  not  to  ruin 
or  injure  it,  but  give  it  its  food  and  refreshment  that  it 
may  remain  sound  and  in  living  vigor. 

In  the  second  place,  discrimination  means  that  one 
should  lead  a  life  carefully  exact,  and  act  with  dis- 
cretion in   regard   to   outward   things,  as   food   and 


CHAP.  I.]  GENERAL   OF   ST.    PETER.  249 

things  of  that  sort, — that  one  should  not  act  in  these 
things  unreasonably,  and  that  he  should  give  his  neigh- 
bor no  provocation. 

V.  6.  And  to  discrimination,  temperance.  Temper- 
ance is  not  only  in  eating  and  drinking,  but  it  is 
regularity  in  the  whole  life  and  conduct,  words,  works, 
manners  ;  that  we  should  not  live  too  expensively,  and 
should  avoid  excess  in  ornament  and  clothing ;  that 
none  come  out  too  proudly,  and  make  too  lofty  a  show. 
But  in  regard  to  this  St.  Peter  will  not  fix  any  rule, 
measure,  or  limit,  as  the  Orders  have  prescribed  for 
themselves,  who  have  wished  to  do  all  by  rule,  and 
have  framed  statutes  which  must  be  exactly  observed. 
It  is  a  thing  not  to  be  tolerated  in  Christendom,  that 
men  should  require  by  laws  that  there  be  a  common 
rule  on  temperance ;  for  people  are  unlike  one  to 
another ;  one  is  of  a  strong,  another  is  of  a  weaker 
nature  ;  and  no  one  in  all  things  is  at  all  times  situated 
as  another.  Therefore  every  one  should  see  to  him- 
self how  he  is  situated,  and  what  he  can  bear. 

And  to  temperance,  patience.  Thus  would  St.  Peter 
say  :  though  ye  lead  a  temperate  and  discreet  life,  ye 
are  not  to  think  that  ye  shall  live  without  conflict  and 
persecution.  For  if  ye  believe,  and  lead  a  fair  christian 
life,  the  world  will  not  let  it  alone  ;  it  must  persecute 
and  hate  you,  in  which  you  must  show  patience,  which 
is  a  fruit  of  faith. 
11* 


250  THE   SECOND    EPISTLE  [CHAP.  I, 

And  to  patience^  godliness.  That  is,  that  we  in  all 
our  outward  life,  whatever  we  do  or  suffer,  should  so 
conduct  ourselves  that  we  may  serve  God  therein,  not 
seeking  our  own  honor  and  gain,  but  that  God  alone 
may  be  glorified  thereby ;  and  that  we  should  so  demean 
ourselves  that  men  may  take  knowledge  that  we  do  all 
for  God's  sake. 

V.  7.  And  to  godliness^  brotherly  love.  In  this  St. 
Peter  obliges  us  all  to  extend  a  helping  hand  one  to 
another,  like  brethren,  so  that  one  should  protect 
another,  and  none  hate  nor  despise  nor  injure  another. 
This  is  also  an  evident  proof  of  faith,  whereby  we  show 
that  we  have  the  godliness  of  which  he  has  spoken. 

And  to  brotherly  love  (charity)^  common  love.  Com- 
mon love  extends  to  both  friend  and  enemy,  even 
to  those  who  do  not  show  themselves  friendly  and 
brotherly  towards  us.  Thus  St.  Peter  has  here  com- 
prehended in  few  words  whatever  pertains  to  the 
christian  life,  and  whatever  are  the  works  and  fruits 
of  faith,  discretion,  temperance,  patience,  a  God-fearing 
life,  brotherly  love,  and  kindness  to  every  one. 

V.  8.  Foi'  if  such  dwell  richly  in  you^  it  will  not  per- 
mit you  to  be  idle  or  unfruitful  in  the  knowledge  of  our 
Lord  Jesus  Christ.  That  is,  if  ye  do  such  works,  then 
are  ye  on  the  right  path,  then  do  ye  have  a  real  faith, 
and  the  knowledge  of  Christ  becomes  active  and  fruit- 
ful in  you.     Therefore  see  to  it  that  ye  be  not  such  as 


CHAP.  I.]  GENERAL   OF   ST.    PETER.  251 

beat  the  air.  Restrain  your  body,  and  act  toward 
your  neighbor  even  in  sucli  a  manner  as  ye  know  that 
Christ  has  done  toward  you. 

V.  9.  But  to  whomsoever  such  is  wanting,  he  is  blind, 
gropes  with  the  hand,  and  has  forgotten  the  imrifying  of 
his  former  sins.  Whoever  has  not  such  a  preparation 
of  the  fruits  of  faith,  gropes  like  a  blind  man  here  and 
there,  rests  in  such  a  life  that  he  knows  not  what  his 
state  is,  has  not  real  faith,  and  has  of  the  knowledge 
of  Christ  nothing  more  than  that  he  can  say  he  has 
heard  it.  Therefore  he  goes  along  and  gropes  like  a 
blind  man  on  the  way,  in  an  unconscious  life,  and  has 
forgotten  that  he  was  baptized  and  his  sins  were  for- 
given him,  and  is  unthankful,  and  is  an  idle,  negligent 
man,  who  suffers  nothing  to  go  to  his  heart,  and  neither 
feels  nor  tastes  such  great  grace  and  blessing. 

This  is  the  admonition  which  St.  Peter  gives  to  us 
who  believe,  to  urge  and  enforce  those  works  by  which 
we  shall  evidence  that  the  true  faith  is  in  us.  And, 
besides,  this  ever  remains  true,  that  faith  alone  justifies  ; 
where  this  then  is  present,  there  works  must  follow. — 
What  follows  further,  now,  is  meant  to  strengthen  us. 

V.  10.  Wherefore,  dear  brethren,  give  so  much  the  more 
diligence  to  make  your  calling  and  election  sure.  The 
election  and  eternal  foreknowledge  of  God  is  indeed 
in  itself  sure  enough,  so  that  man  does  not  need  to 
make  that  sure.   The  calling  is  also  effectual  and  sure. 


252  THE   SECOND   EPISTLE  [CHAP.  I. 

For  whoever  hears  the  Gospel,  and  believes  thereon, 
and  is  baptized,  he  is  called  and  saved.  Since  we  then 
are  also  thereunto  called,  we  should  apply  so  much 
diligence  (says  Peter),  that  our  calling  and  election 
^ay  be  assured  with  us  also,  and  not  only  with  God. 
This  is  now  such  a  mode  of  scriptural  expression  as 
St.  Paul  uses,  Eph.  ii.,  "Ye  were  strangers  to  the 
covenant  of  promise,  so  that  ye  had  no  hope  and  were 
without  God  in  the  world."  For  although  there  is  no 
man,  neither  bad  nor  good,  over  whom  God  does  not 
reign,  since  all  creatures  are  His,  yet  Paul  says  he  has 
no  God  who  does  not  know,  love,  and  trust  Him, 
although  he  had  his  being  in  God  Himself.  So  here, 
also  ;  although  the  calling  and  election  are  effectual 
enough  in  themselves,  yet  with  you  it  is  not  yet  effec- 
tual and  assured,  since  you  are  not  yet  certain  tliat  it 
includes  you.  Therefore  St.  Peter  would  have  us  make 
such  calling  and  election  sure,  by  good  works. 

Thus  you  see  what  this  Apostle  attributes  to  the 
fruits  of  faith.  Although  they  are  due  to  our  neighbor, 
that  he  may  be  benefited  by  them,  still  the  fruit  is  not 
to  be  wanting,  that  faith  may  thereby  become  stronger, 
and  do  more  and  more  of  good  works.  Besides,  this 
is  quite  another  kind  of  power  from  that  of  the  body, 
for  that  grows  weary  and  wastes  away  if  it  is  used  and 
urged  somewhat  too  far  :  but  as  to  this  spiritual 
power,  the  more  it  is  used  and  urged,  the  stronger  it 
becomes ;  and  it  suffers  injury  if  it  is  not  exercised. 


CHAP.  I.]  GENERAL   OF   ST.    PETER.  253 

For  this  reason  did  God  introduce  Christianity  at  the 
first  in  such  a  manner  as  He  did,  driven  and  tried  by 
the  wrestling  of  faith,  in  shame,  death,  and  bloodshed, 
that  it  might  become  truly  strong  and  mighty,  and 
that  the  more  it  was  oppressed  the  more  it  might  rise 
above  it.  This  is  St.  Peter's  meaning  in  this  place, 
that  we  should  not  let  faith  rust  and  lie  still,  since  it 
is  so  ordained  that  it  is  ever  made  more  and  more 
strong  by  trial  and  exercise,  until  it  is  assured  of  its 
calling  and  election,  and  cannot  fail. 

And  here  is  also  a  bound  set  as  to  how  we  should 
proceed  with  reference  to  election.  There  are  many 
light-minded  persons  who  have  not  felt  much  of  the 
power  of  faith,  who  fall  in  this  matter,  stumbling  upon 
it ;  and  they  trouble  themselves  at  first  with  it,  and  by 
reason  would  satisfy  themselves  whether  they  are 
elected,  so  that  they  may  be  assured  whereon  they 
stand.  But  desist  from  this,  at  once  ;  it  is  a  thing  that 
cannot  be  apprehended  (grasped).  But  if  you  will  be 
assured,  you  must  reach  it  by  the  way  which  St.  Peter 
here  strikes  out  for  you.  If  you  choose  another  for  your- 
self, you  have  failed  already,  and  your  own  experience 
must  teach  you  so.  If  faith  is  properly  exercised 
and  tried,  then  are  you  at  last  assured  of  the  fact  that 
you  cannot  fail,  as  now  further  follows  : 

For  if  ye  do  these  things  ye  shall  never  fall.  That  is, 
ye  are  to  stand  fast,  not  stumble  nor  sin,  but  go  on- 


•254  THE   SECOND    EPISTLE  [CHAP.  I. 

ward  thorougly  upright  and  active,  and  all  shall  go 
well  with  jou.  But  if  you  would  set  it  right  by  your 
reasonings,  the  devil  will  soon  throw  you  into  despair 
and  hatred  of  God. 

V.  11.  Aiid  so  shall  an  entrance  he  'ministered  imto  you 
abundantly^  into  the  everlasting  kingdom  of  our  Lord  and 
Saviour  Jesus  Christ.  This  is  the  way  by  which  we 
enter  the  kingdom  of  heaven.  Therefore,  no  one  should 
propose,  by  such  dreams  and  reasonings  concerning 
faith  as  he  has  invented  in  his  heart,  to  enter  therein. 
There  must  be  a  living,  active,  tried  faith.  God  help 
us !  How  have  our  deceivers  written,  taught  and 
spoken  against  this  text,  yet  whoever  has  even  the 
least  measure  and  only  a  spark  of  faith,  sliall  be  saved 
when  he  comes  to  die. 

If  you  would  pry  into  this  matter,  and  in  this  way 
attain  such  faith  quickly  and  suddenly,  you  will  then 
have  waited  too  long:  Yet  you  are  to  understand 
well,  that  they  who  are  strong  have  enough  to  do, 
although  we  are  not  to  despair  even  of  such  as  are 
weak,  for  it  may  indeed  well  happen  that  they  shall 
endure,  though  it  will  be  sorely  and  hardly,  and  will 
cost  much  striving;  but  whoever  carefully  sees  to  it  in  his 
life,  that  faith  is  invigorated  and  made  strong  by  good 
works,  he  shall  have  an  abundant  entrance,  and  with 
calm  spirit  and  confidence  go  into  that  life  to  come,  so 
that  he  shall  die  comfortably,  and  despise  this  life,  and 


CHAP.  I.]  GENERAL   OF   ST.    PETER.  255 

even  triumphantly  go  on,  and  with  gladness  hasten  to 
that.  But  those,  who  would  come  in  otherwise,  shall 
not  enter  thus  with  joy  ;  the  door  shall  not  stand  open 
to  them  so  wide  ;  they  shall,  moreover,  not  have  such 
an  abundant  entrance,  but  it  shall  be,  narrow  and  a 
hard  one,  so  that  they  tremble,  and  would  rather  their 
life-day  should  be  in  weakness,  than  that  they  should 
die. 

Y.  12.  Wherefore  I  loill  not  he  negligent  to  remind 
you  always  of  such  things^  although  ye  hioio  them, 
and  are  established  in  this  present  truth.  That  is  the 
same  that  we  also  have  often  said,  although  God  has 
now  let  such  a  great  light  go  forth  through  the  revela- 
tion of  the  Gospel,  so  that  we  know  what  true  christian 
life  and  doctrine  is,  and  see  how  all  Scripture  insists 
upon  it,  yet  this  (light)  we  are  not  to  neglect  but  use 
daily,  not  for  doctrine,  but  for  the  sake  of  remem- 
brance. For  there  is  a  twofold  oflBce  in  the  christian 
church,  as  St.  Paul  says,  Rom.  xii. :  "  If  any  one  teaches, 
let  him  wait  on  teaching  ;  if  any  one  admonishes,  let 
liim  wait  on  admonition."  To  teach,  is  when  any  one 
lays  down  the  ground  of  faith,  and  sets  it  forth  to 
tliose  who  have  no  knowledge  of  it.  But  to  admonish, 
or  as  Peter  here  says,  to  remind,  is  to  preach  to  those 
who  know  and  have  heard  the  matter  already,  so  that 
they  are  seized  hold  of  and  awakened,  in  order  that 
tliey  should  not  be  heedless,  but  go  onward  and  pros- 


256  THE   SECOND   EPISTLE  [CHAP.  I. 

per.  We  are  all  beladen  with  the  old  sluggard  load, 
with  our  flesh  and  blood,  that  chooses  for  ever  the  by- 
road, and  keeps  us  ever  subject  to  its  load,  so  that  the 
soul  easily  falls  asleep.  Therefore  we  are  ever  to  urge 
and  shake  it,  as  a  master  urges  his  servants,  lest  they 
become  sluggish,  although  they  know  very  well  what 
they  should  do  ;  for  while  we  must  pursue  this  course 
for  our  temporal  support,  far  more  must  we  do  it  in  this 
case  in  spiritual  matters. 

y.  13.  For  I  count  it  proper^  so  long  as  1  am  in  this 

tabernacle,  to  awaken  and  remind  you.     Here  St.  Peter 

calls  his  body  a  tabernacle  wherein  the  soul  dwells  ; 

and  it  is  a  phrase  like  that  where  in  the  first  Epistle 

he  speaks  of  the  body  as  a  vessel  or  an  instrument.    So 

St.  Paul  also  speaks,  II.  Cor.  v  :  "  We  know  that  if  our 

earthly  house  of  this  tabernacle  were  broken  down, 

that  we  liave  a  house  built  by  God,  a  house  not  made 

with  hands,  eternal  in  heaven,  and  for  the  same  we 

long  earnestly,  for  our  dwelling  which  is  from  heaven. 

For  as  long  as  we  are  in  this  tabernacle  we  earnestly 

long,"  &c.    Also,  "  but  yet  we  are  consoled  and  know 

that  while  we  are  at  home  in  the  body  we  are  absent 

from  the  Lord,  but  we  have  far  greater  desire  to  be 

out  of  the  body  and  to  be  at  home  with  the  Lord." 

There  the  Apostle  Paul  speaks  also  of  the  body  as  a 

house,  and  makes  two  homes,  and  two  sojournings.    So 

Peter  speaks  here  of  the  body  as  a  tabernacle  wherein 


CHAP.  I.]  GENERAL   OF   ST.    PETER.  257 

the  soul  rests,  and  he  makes  it  mean  enougn  ;  he  will 
not  call  it  a  house,  but  a  hut  or  pent-house,  such  as 
shepherds  have.  Great  is  the  treasure,  but  small  is 
the  house  in  which  it  lies  and  dwells. 

Y.   14.    For   I  know  that  I  must  soon   lay  off  my 
tabernacle,  even  as    the    Lord   Christ   hath  showed  me. 
But  I  will  take  care  that  ye  by  all  means,  after  my 
departure,  may  keep  such  things  in  your  remembrance. 
Here  Peter  testifies  of  himself  that   he  has  become 
assured  of  eternal  life,  and  to  him  God  had  shown  be- 
forehand when  he  should  die  ;  but  this  took  place  for 
our  and  our  faith's  sake,  for  there  must  have  been  some 
such  persons  as  knew  assuredly  that  they  were  elected, 
w^ho  should  lay  down  and  settle  faith,  that  we  might 
know  that  they  preached  not  the  doctrine  of  men,  but 
the  word  of  God.     But  ere  they  have  come  to  such  an 
assurance,  God  has  thoroughly  proved  them  first,  and 
purified  them.     Thus  Peter  now  says,  I  will  not  only 
remind  you  with  the  living  voice,  but  set  such  things 
also  in  writing,  and  charge  you,  through  others,  that 
ye  ever  hold  them  in  remembrance,  through  my  life 
and  after  my  death,  and  not  let  them  go.      There 
see  how  great  anxiety  the  Apostle  had  for  souls  ;  yet, 
alas  !  it  has  helped  nothing. 

y.  16-18.  For  we  have  not  followed  cunningly  de- 
vised fables,  when  we  have  made  known  unto  you  the 
power  and  coming  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  for  we  have 


258  THE   SECOND    EPISTLE  [CHAP.  I. 

been  witnesses  of  His  majesty^  when  He  received  from  God 
the  Father  honor  and  praise^  hy  a  voice  ivhich  came  to  Him 
from  the  excellent  glory,  this  is  my  ivell-beloved  Son^  in 
ivhom  I  am  well  pleased;  and  this  voice^  which  came 
from  heaven^  we  heard,  when  we  were  with  Him  on  the 
holy  mount.  There  St.  Peter  touches  upon  the  history 
written  in  the  Gospel,  Matt,  xvii.,  how  Jesus  took  to 
Himself  three  of  his  disciples,  Peter,  James  and  John, 
and  led  them  aside  up  a  high  mountain,  and  was  glori- 
fied before  them,  and  His  face  shone  like  the  sun,  and 
His  clothing  was  white  as  the  light,  and  there  appeared 
to  Him  Moses  and  Elias,  who  spoke  with  Him,  while 
a  light  cloud  overshadowed  them,  and  a  voice  out  of 
the  cloud  said.  This  is  my  beloved  Son,  in  whom  I  am 
well  pleased  ;  hear  ye  Him.  When  the  disciples  heard 
that,  they  fell  on  their  faces,  and  were  very  much 
afraid.  But  Jesus  went  to  them,  roused  them  up,  and 
said,  stand  up,  be  not  afraid  ;  then  they  lifted  up  their 
eyes,  and  saw  no  one  but  Jesus  only,  and  when  they 
went  down  from  the  mountain  He  charged  them  that 
they  should  tell  no  one  of  this  sight  till  He  arose  from 
the  dead. 

So  St.  Peter  would  now  say,  that  which  I  preach  to 
you  of  Christ  and  of  His  coming,  this  G-ospel  that  we 
preach,  we  have  not  devised  or  yet  imagined,  nor 
taken  it  from  cunning  fabulists  who  know  how  to 
speak  brilliantly  of  all  things  (such  as  at  that  very 
time  the  Greeks  were),  for  it  is  mere  fable,  and  fancy, 


CHAP.  I.]  GENKRAL   OF   ST.    PETER.  259 

and  idle  babbling  that  they  cunningly  give  forth,  and 
wherein  they  would  be  wise, — such  we  have  not  lis- 
tened to,  nor  have  we  followed  them  ;  that  is,  we 
preach  not  what  is  from  the  hands  of  men,  but  are  sure 
that  it  is  of  Glod,  and  have  become  so  through  our 
eyes  and  ears  ; — that  is  to  say.  When  we  were  with 
Christ  upon  the  mountain,  and  saw  and  heard  His 
glory  ;  for  His  glory  was  this,  that  His  face  shone  like 
the  sun,  and  His  clothing  was  as  white  as  snow ;  be- 
sides, we  heard  a  voice  from  the  highest  Majesty,  "  This 
is  my  beloved  Son  ;  hear  ye  Him." 

So  confident  should  every  preacher  be,  and  not  be 
in  doubt  thereon,  that  he  has  God's  word,  that  he  could 
even  die  for  it,  since  it  is  worth  our  life.  Now  there 
is  no  man  so  holy  tliat  he  must  needs  die  for  the  doc- 
trine which  he  has  taught  of  himself ;  wherefore  it  is 
inferred  here  that  the  Apostles  have  had  assurance 
from  God  that  their  Gospel  was  God's  word.  And 
here  it  is  also  shown  that  the  Gospel  is  nothing  else 
than  the  preaching  of  Christ.  Therefore  we  should 
hear  no  other  preaching,  for  the  Father  will  have  no 
other.  "  That  is  my  dear  Son,"  He  says  ;  "  hear  Him." 
He  is  your  Teacher — as  though  He  had  said,  "  When 
ye  hear  Him,  then  ye  have  heard  me."  Wherefore 
Peter  now  says,  we  have  preached  Christ  and  made 
Him  known  to  you,  that  He  is  Lord,  and  rules  over 
all  things,  and  all  power  is  His  ;  and  that  whosoever 
believes  on  Him  has  likewise  such  power.    Such  things 


260  THE   SECOND   EPISTLE  [CHAP.  I. 

we  have  not  ourselves  devised,  but  have  seen  and  heard 
them  through  God's  revelation,  by  which  He  has 
charged  us  that  we  should  hear  Christ. 

But  why  does  Paul  separate  from  one  another  the 
power  and  the  coming  of  Christ  ?  The  power  consists, 
as  we  have  heard  above,  in  that  He  is  mighty  over  all 
things  ;  that  all  must  lie  at  His  feet ;  and  this  shall  con- 
tinue as  long  as  the  world  stands.  While  we  are  flesh 
and  blood,  and  live  upon  the  earth,  so  long  shall  Christ^s 
kingdom  flourish,  even  to  the  last  day.  Then  shall 
come  another  period,  when  He  shall  give  up  the  king- 
dom to  God  the  Father,  whereof  St.  Paul  speaks, 
I.  Cor.  XV  :  "  Christ  the  first  fruits  ;  afterwards  those 
that  belong  to  Christ,  who  are  His  at  His  coming." 
Afterward  is  the  end,  when  He  shall  answer  for  the 
kingdom  to  God  and  the  Father."  Also  :  "  But  when 
all  shall  be  subject  to  Him,  then  shall  the  Son  also 
be  subject  to  Him  who  subdued  all  for  Him.'' 

How  ?  Is  then  the  kingdom  not  God  the  Father's 
now  ?  Is  not  all  subject  to  Him  ?  Answer  : — St.  Paul 
explains  himself  in  the  same  place,  and  says  :  "  So  that 
God  may  be  all  in  all ;"  that  is,  whatsoever  any  one 
shall  need  or  should  have,  that  God  will  be  ;  as  St. 
Peter  has  told  us  above,  that  we  should  be  partakers 
of  the  Divine  nature.  Wherefore  we  shall  also  have 
all  that  God  has,  and  all  that  is  needful  for  us  we 
shall  have  in  Him, — wisdom,  righteousness,  strength 
and  life, — a  truth  which  we  now  believe,  hearing  it 


CHAP.  I.]  GENERAL   OF   ST.    PETER.  261 

merely,  and  having  it  in  the  word  of  God.  But  then 
shall  the  word  cease,  when  our  souls  shall  be  enlarged 
and  see  and  feel  it  all  as  a  present  thing.  This  is 
what  St.  Paul  means,  and  St.  Peter  also  :  that  the 
power  of  Christ's  kingdom  now  proceeds  ;  now  He 
gives  the  word,  and  thereby,  through  His  humanity, 
reigns  over  the  devil,  sin,  death,  and  all  things.  But 
at  the  last  day  this  shall  be  made  clear.  Therefore, 
although  God  ever  rules,  still  it  is  not  yet  manifest  to 
us.  He  clearly  beholds  us,  but  we  behold  Him  not. 
Therefore  must  Christ  surrender  up  to  Him  the  king- 
dom, so  that  we  also  shall  see  it,  while  we  then  shall 
be  Christ's  brethren  and  God's  children.  Thus  Christ 
received  from  God  honor  and  glory  (St.  Peter  here  says) 
when  the  Father  made  all  things  subject  to  Him,  and 
made  Him  Lord,  and  glorified  Him  by  this  voice,  in 
which  He  says,  "  This  is  my  well-beloved  Son,  in  whom 
I  am  well  pleased." 

By  this  St.  Peter  would  confirm  his  doctrine  and 
preaching,  that  it  might  be  known  whence  it  came. 
But  this  experience  was  no  more  than  that  he  had 
heard  this,  and  was  able  to  preach  of  it.  But  the  Holy 
Spirit  must  also  come  and  strengthen  him,  that  he  may 
believe  in  it,  and  preach  and  confess  it  cheerfully. 
The  former  thing  belongs  only  to  the  office  of  the- 
preacher,  not  to  the  soul ;    but  this  belongs  to  the 

Spirit. 

Y.  19.    We  have  also  a  sure  luord  of  Prophecy,  and  ye 


262  THE   SECOND   EPISTLE  [CHAP.  I. 

do  well  in  that  ye  give  heed  to  it^  as  to  a  light  that  shines 
in  a  dark  place,  till  the  day  break  arid  the  morning  star 
rise  171  your  hearts. 

There  St.  Peter  grasps  right  hold  upon  the  matter, 
and  would  say  this  much  :  all  that  I  preach  is  to  sub- 
serve this  end,  that  your  conscience  may  be  assured, 
and  your  heart  may  stand  firm  on  this,  and  not  let 
itself  be  torn  therefrom,  and  that  thus  both  I  and  you 
may  be  certain  that  we  have  God's  word.  For  it  is  an 
important  matter  as  respects  the  Gospel  that  we  should 
receive  and  hold  it  clean  and  pure,  without  addition 
and  false  doctrine.  Therefore  Peter  begins  hence- 
forth to  write  against  human  doctrines. 

But  why  does  he  say  we  have  a  sure  word  of  prophecy  ? 
Answer  :  I  hold,  indeed,  that  we  shall  have  no  more 
prophets,  such  as  the  Jews  had  in  former  times  in  the 
Old  Testament.  But  a  prophet  eminently  should  he 
be  who  preaches  of  Jesus  Christ.  Therefore,  although 
many  prophets  in  the  Old  Testament  have  foretold 
concerning  things  to  come,  yet  they  came  and  were 
sent  by  God,  for  this  reason  especially,  that  they  should 
foretell  Christ.  Those,  then,  who  believe  on  Christ 
are  all  prophets,  for  they  have  the  true  head-article 
that  the  prophets  should  have,  although  they  have  not 
the  gift  of  making  known  things  to  come  ;  for  as  we, 
through  the  faith  of  our  Master,  are  Christ's  brethren, 
are  kings  and  priests,  so  are  we  prophets  also,  all  of 
us  through  Christ.    For  we  can  all  say  what  belongs  to 


CHAP.  I.]  GEXEEAL    OF   ST.    PETER.  263 

salvation  and  God's  honor  and  a  christian  life,  besides 
of  future  things,  so  much  as  this  is  necessarily  known 
to  us,  viz.,  that  the  Last  Day  shall  come,  and  that  we 
shall  rise  from  the  dead ;  besides,  we  understand  the 
whole  substance  of  Scripture.  Whereof  Paul  also 
says,  I.  Cor.  xiv.  :  "  Ye  can  all  prophecy,  one  after 
another." 

This  now,  is,  what  Peter  says  :  we  have  such  a  word 
of  prophecy  as  is  sure  in  itself ;  see  to  it  only  that  it 
be  sure  to  you  ;  and  ye  do  well  in  paying  heed  to  it : — as 
though  he  should  say  :  It  will  be  a  thing  of  necessity 
to  you  to  hold  firmly  by  it ;  for  it  is  in  regard  to  the 
Gospel  as  though  one  were  imprisoned  in  the  house,  in 
the  midst  of  the  night,  when  it  was  stock  dark.  Then 
it  were  a  matter  of  necessity  that  one  should  kindle  a 
light,  till  the  day  came  when  he  could  see.  Eminently 
such  is  the  Gospel  in  the  midst  of  the  night  and  dark- 
ness, for  all  human  reason  is  mere  error  and  blindness, 
while  tlie  world  is  even  nothing  else  but  a  kingdom  of 
darkness.  In  this  darkness  has  God  now  kindled  a 
light,  even  the  Gospel,  whereby  we  may  see  and  walk, 
while  we  are  on  the  earth,  till  the  morning  dawn- comes 
and  the  day  breaks. 

Thus  this  text  is  also  strongly  against  all  human 
doctrine  ;  for  since  the  word  of  God  is  the  light  in  a 
dark  and  gloomy  place,  it  follows  that  all  besides  is 
darkness.  For  if  there  were  another  light  besides  the 
word,  St.  Peter  would  not  have  spoken  as  he  has. 


264  THE   SECOND   EPISTLE  [CHAP.  I. 

Therefore  look  not  to  this,  how  gifted  those  men  are 
with  reason  who  teach  any  other  doctrine,  however 
grandly  they  put  it  forth  ;  if  you  cannot  trace  God's 
word  in  it,  then  be  in  no  doubt  as  to  its  being  mere 
darkness.  And  let  it  not  disturb  you  at  all  that  they 
say  they  have  the  Holy  Spirit.  How  can  they  have 
God's  Spirit  if  they  do  not  have  His  word  ?  Where- 
fore they  do  nothing  else  but  call  darkness  light  and 
make  the  light  darkness,  as  Isaiah  says,  chap.  v. 

This  is  God's  word — even  the  Gospel — that  we  are 
ransomed  by  Christ  from  death,  sin  and  hell :  whoever 
hears  that,  he  has  this  light  and  has  kindled  this  lamp 
in  his  heart,  even  that  by  which  we  may  see  the  one 
that  enlightens  us,  and  teaches  us  whatever  we  should 
know.  But  where  this  is  not,  there  we  rush  on,  and  by 
matters  and  works  of  our  own  device  would  find  out 
the  way  to  heaven.  Whereof,  by  your  light,  you  can 
judge  and  see  that  it  is  darkness.  Wherefore  since  they 
have  not  the  light,  neither  would  receive  it,  they  must 
remain  in  darkness  and  blindness.  For  the  light 
teaches  us  all  that  which  we  ought  to  know  and  what 
is  necessary  to  salvation — a  thing  which  the  world  by 
wisdom  and  reason  knows  not.  And  this  light  we  must 
still  have  and  depend  upon,  even  to  the  last  day.  Then 
shall  we  have  no  more  need  of  the  word,  just  as  we 
put  out  the  lamp  when  the  day  breaks. 

V.  20,  21.  A7id  this  ye  should  know  first  of  all,  that 


CHAP.  I.]  GENERAL    OF   ST.    PETER.  265 

no  prophecy  of  the  Scripture  is  of  any  private  interpreta- 
tion; for  prophecy  came  not  aforetime  by  the  will  of  man, 
hut  holy  men  of  God  spake  as  they  were  moved  by  the 
Holy  Spirit.     Here  Paul  falls  upon  the  matter  of  false 
doctrine :  since  ye  know  this,  he  says,  that  we  have  thcj 
word  of  God,  abide  thereon,  and  suffer  yourselves  not' 
to  be  drawn  from  it  by  others  that   teach  falsely, 
though  they  come  and  give  forth  that  they  have  thcj 
Holy  Spirit.     For  this  ye  should  know  first  of  all  (thd 
second  matter  he  would  speak  of  afterward),  that  no 
prophecy  of  the  Scripture  is  of  any  private  interpre- 
tation ;  by  this  be  directed,  and  do  not  think  that  ye 
shall  explain  the  Scripture  by  your  own  reason  and 

wisdom. 

In  this  the  private  interpretation  of  Scripture  by  all 
the  fathers  is  thrown  down  and  rejected,  and  it  is  for- 
bidden to  build  on  such  interpretation.     Though  Je- 
rome, or  Augustine,  or  any  one  of  the  fathers  have 
explained  it  of  himself,  yet  would  not  we  have  it  from 
him.     Peter  has  forbidden  you  to  explain  it  of  yourself 
at  all.     The  Holy  Spirit  will  explain  it  Himself,  or  it 
shall  remain  unexplained.     If  now  any  one  of  the  holy 
fathers  can  prove  that  he  has  his  explanation  from  the 
Scriptures,  which  give  assurance  that  it  should  be  so 
explained,  then  it  is  right ;  where  this  is  not  the  case, 
I  for  one  shall  not  believe  him .   Thus  Peter  lays  hold  on 
the  boldest  and  best  teachers  ;  wherefore  we  should  rest 
assured  that  none  is  to  be  believed  who  sets  the  Scripture 
12 


266  THE   SECOND   EPISTLE  [CHAP.  1. 

forth  where  he  of  himself  opens  and  explains  it.  For 
there  can  be  no  true  sense  obtained  by  private  inter- 
J3retation.  Here  have  all  the  teachers  and  fatliers  who 
have  explained  the  Scripture  stumbled,  so  far  as  they 
are- extant  to  us.  As  when  they  refer  the  passage  of 
Christ,  Matt.  xvi.  :  Thou  art  Peter ^  and  on  this  rock  will 
I  build  my  church,  to  the  Pope.  That  is  a  human,  self- 
invented  explanation  ;  therefore,  no  one  is  to  believe 
them,  for  they  cannot  prove  out  of  the  Scripture  that 
Peter  is  ever  spoken  of  as  Pope.  But  this  we  can 
prove,  that  the  rock  is  Christ  and  faith,  as  Paul  says. 
This  explanation  is  the  right  one  ;  for  of  this  we  are 
sure,  it  has  not  been  invented  by  men,  but  drawn  from 
God's  word.  Now  what  is  found  written  and  foretold 
in  the  prophets,  says  Peter,  that  men  have  not  searched 
out  nor  invented  ;  but  holy  and  pious  men  have  spoken 
it  from  the  Holy  Spirit. 

Thus  this  is  the  first  cliapter,  wherein  St.  Peter  has 
first  of  all  taught  us  what  those  really  good  works  are 
whereby  we  must  give  proof  of  our  faith.  In  the  second 
place,  that  no  man  in  Christendom  should  preach  any- 
thing but  God's  word  alone.  The  reason  why  it  should 
be  so  is  no  other,  as  we  have  said,  except  that  men 
should  preach  that  word  which  shall  remain  forever, 
w*liereby  souls  may  be  Avon,  and  eternal  life.  Now 
there  follows  a  just  admonition,  which  Christ  and  Paul 
and  all  the  Apostles  have  also  given,  that  each  should 
look  out  for  himself  and  guard  against  false  teachers. 


CHAP.  II.]  GENERAL   OF    ST.    PETER.  267 

It  is  especially  necessary  for  us  to  observe  it  care- 
fully, so  that  we  shall  not  suffer  that  right  and  author- 
ity which  all  Christians  have,  to  be  torn  from  us,  to 
judge  and  decide  on  all  doctrines  ;  and  shall  not  let  it 
come  to  this,  that  we  first  wait  till  the  Councils  de- 
termine what  we  are  to  believe,  and  then  follow  that. 
This  we  are  now  to  look  at. 


CHAPTER    II. 

V.  1.  But  there  loere  false  teachers  also  among  the 
people^  as  also  among  you  there  shall  he  false  teachers. 
This  is  what  St.  Peter  would  say  :  All  prophecy  must 
proceed  from  the  Holy  Spirit,  even  to  the  end  of  the 
world,  just  as  it  has  gone  forth  from  the  beginning  of 
the  world,  so  that  nothing  shall  be  preached  but  what 
is  God's  word.  Yet  it  has  ever  so  happened,  that 
close  upon  the  true  prophets  and  word  of  God,  there 
have  been  false  teachers,  and  so  also  it  shall  continue. 
Therefore,  since  ye  have  God's  word,  ye  should  take 
heed  to  yourselves  that  ye  do  not  have  false  teachers 
besides.  This  is  a  sufficient  admonition,  and  it  cannot 
fail  where  the  true  word  of  God  is  preached  ;  that 
close  upon  it  false  teachers  also  should  rise  up.  The 
reason  is  this, — not  every  one  lays  hold  on  the  word, 
and  believes  thereon,  although  it  is  preached  to  all. 
Thev  who  l^elieve  thereon,  follow  it,  and  hold  it  fast  ; 


268  THE   SECOND   EPISTLE        •         [CHAP.  II. 

but  the  greater  part,  they  who  do  not  believe,  receive 
a  false  sense  therefrom,  whence  they  become  false 
teachers.  This  matter  we  have  not  seriously  con- 
sidered, nor  have  we  attended  to  this  warning  ;  but 
we  have  gone  astray,  and  whatever  has  been  preached 
that  we  have  done.  Thereon  we  have  stumbled  and 
fallen,  and  been  led  away  by  delusion,  as  though  the 
Pope,  with  his  priests  and  monks,  could  not  err.  Thus 
those  that  should  have  been  on  their  guard  against 
such  things,  have  been  the  first  that  have  urged  them 
upon  us.  So  that  we  are  not  free  from  blame,  though 
we  have  a  wrong  belief,  and  follow  after  false  teachers  : 
it  shall  be  of  no  help  to  us,  that  we  have  not  known, 
since  we  were  warned  beforehand.  Besides,  God  has 
bidden  us  that  we  should  each  determine  what  this  or 
that  one  preaches,  and  give  account  thereof  ;  if  we  do 
not,  then  are  we  lost  ;  w.herefore  it  concerns  every  one's 
own  soul's  salvation  to  know  what  God's  word  is,  and 
what  false  doctrines  are. 

Such  warnings  against  false  teachers  are,  besides, 
very  frequent,  here  and  there,  throughout  the  Scripture. 
St.  Paul,  Acts  XX.,  gives  just  such  an  admonition  in  his 
preaching,  when  he  blesses  those  of  Ephesus  and  gives 
them  his  farewell;  and  he  speaks  in  this  manner  :  "  I 
know  that  after  my  departure  there  shall  come  in 
among  you  grievous  wolves,  who  shall  not  spare  the 
flock  ;  yea,  there  shall  even  of  your  own  selves  arise 
men  who  shall  teach  corrupt  doctrine,  who  shall  draw 


CHAP.  IT.]  GENERAL    OF   ST.    PETER.  269 

disciples  after  them."  Christ  proclaims  it  also  in 
Matt.  XX.  :  "If  anyone  shall  say  to  you  (he  says),  lo ! 
here  is  Christ,  or  lo  !  there,  then  are  ye  not  to  believe 
it ;  for  there  shall  arise  false  Christs  and  false 
prophets,  and  great  signs  and  wonders  shall  they  do, 
that  shall  lead  into  error,  if  it  were  possible,  even  the 
elect."  And  again,  Paul,  I.,  Tim.,  iv.  :  "  The  Spirit 
speaks  expressly  that  in  the  last  times  some  shall  de- 
part from  the  faith,  and  cleave  to  erring  spirits  and 
doctrines  of  the  devil  by  which  they  speak  lies  in 
hypocrisy."  As  forcefully  as  such  admonition  has  gone 
forth,  so  careful  should  we  have  been  ;  yet  it  has  been 
of  no  avail.  The  admonition  has  been  kept  silent,  and 
thus  we  have  still  wandered,  and  suffered  ourselves  to 
be  led  astray. 

Now  let  us  see  who  those  false  teachers  may  be,  of 
whom  Peter  here  speaks.  I  think  that  God  has  or- 
dained by  special  counsel  that  our  teachers  should  have 
been  called  doctors,  that  it  might  be  seen  whom  Peter 
means.  For  he  as  much  as  uses  the  word  here  ;  false 
doctors, — that  is,  false  teachers,  he  says, — not  false 
prophets  or  false  apostles.  In  this  he  fairly  hits  the 
hi2:h  schools,  where  such  a  class  of  men  is  made,  and 
whence  all  the  preachers  liave  come  forth  into  the 
world  :  so  that  there  is  not  even  a  city  under  the  Pope- 
dom, which  does  not  have  such  teachers  made  in  the 
high  schools.  For  all  the  world  thinks  that  they  are 
the  fountain,  the  streams  of  which  are  to  teach  the 


270  THE   SECOND    EPISTLE  [CHAP.  II. 

people.  This  is  a  desperate  error,  since  no  more  cruel 
thing  has  ever  come  upon  the  earth  than  has  come 
forth  from  the  high  schools.  Therefore  Peter  says, 
that  such  vain,  false  teachers  are  to  be  ;  but  what  shall 
they  do  ?     This  follows  further  : 

Who  shall  privily  introduce  damnable  heresies.  He 
calls  them  damnable  heresies  (sects),  or  states  and 
orders,  because  whosoever  is  persuaded  into  them  is 
already  lost.  These  shall  they  secretly  bring  in,  he 
says,  not  that  they  shall  preach  that  the  Gospel  and 
the  Holy  Scriptures  are  false,  for  that  would  have 
worked  quite  against  them, — but  these  names,  God, 
Christ,  faith,  church,  baptism,  sacrament,  they  shall 
still  hold,  and  suffer  to  continue.  But  under  these 
names  they  bring  forward  and  set  up  something  of 
another  sort.  For  there  is  a  great  difference,  whether 
I  say  this  man  preaches  against  this  doctrine  or  in  ac- 
cordance with  it.  When  I  preach  thus,  that  Christ  is 
the  Son  of  God  and  truly  man,  and  whoever  believes 
on  Him  shall  be  saved, — that  is  right  preaching  and  the 
true  Gospel.  But  if  one  preaches  that  Christ  is  not  the 
Son  of  God,  nor  truly  man,  moreover  that  faith  does 
not  save,  it  is  said  in  plain  contradiction  to  it.  Whence 
St.  Peter  speaks  not  (for  this  is  what  our  high 
schools,  priests  and  monks  do  not  attempt),  except  of 
those  associate  doctrines  which  they  introduce  through 
the  true  doctrine.     As  when  they  speak   after  this 


CHAP.  II.]  GENERAL    OF   ST.    PETER.  271 

manner, — it  is  true  that  Christ  was  God,  and  is  man  ; 
til  at  He  died  for  our  sins,  and  no  one  can  be  saved  who 
does  not  believe  upon  Him.  But  that  belongs  only  to 
the  common  estate  (of  Christians)  ;  but  we  will  set  up  a 
more  complete  one,  in  which  men  shall  vow  chastity, 
poverty,  and  obedience,  as  well  as  fast,  endow  institu- 
tions, &c.  Whoever  does  this  shall  go  full  tide  up  to 
heaven.  Where  now  men  preach  and  hear  such  things 
as  that  there  is  nothing  better  and  more  saving  than 
virginity  and  obedience,  and  that  the  monk  and  the 
priest  are  in  a  higher  and  more  perfect  estate  than  man- 
kind in  general,  there  is  nothing  said  against  the  pure 
christian  doctrine  directly,  nor  are  faith  and  baptism 
denied,  nor  that  Christ  is  the  Saviour.  But  yet  there 
is  such  doctrine  brought  in  with  them,  leading  men 
away  from  the  right  path,  that  they  build  upon  their 
own  life  and  works,  and  hold  nothing  more  in  regard 
to  Christ,  but  just  these  words  :  we  believe  that  Christ  is 
the  Son  of  God,  and  man  ;  that  He  died  and  rose  again  ; 
that  He  is  the  Saviour  of  the  world,  &c.  But  they  re- 
pose no  faith  in  Him,  for  if  they  did  that,  they  would 
not  rest  an  hour  upon  their  life. 

Thus  they  have  also  preached  and  said  among  the 
people  :  "  Ye  are  Christians  already,  but  that  is  not 
enough  ;  ye  must  also  do  such  and  such  works,  build 
churches  and  cloisters,  found  masses  and  vigils,"  &g. 

The  great  multitude  has  tumbled  into  this  notion, 
and  thought  it  was  right.     Hereby  Christendom  is 


272  THE   SECOND    EPISTLE  [CHAP.  II. 

divided  and  separated  into  as  many  sects,  almost,  as 
there  are  states  and  people. 

But  this  is  what  men  should  have  preached  and 
taught :  Ye  are  Christians  indeed,  and,  just  as  well  as 
those  a  hundred  miles  away,  ye  have  all  of  you  one 
Christ,  one  baptism,  one  faith,  one  spirit,  one  word,  one 
God  ;  so  that  no  work  that  man  can  do  helps  to  make 
a  Christian.  Thus,  were  men  included  in  a  common 
faith,  there  would  be  no  difference  before  God,  but  one 
would  be  as  another.  This  unity  have  they  rent 
asunder,  in  that  they  say,  "  You  are  a  Christian,  but 
you  must  do  works  in  order  that  you  may  be  saved  ;" 
and  thus  they  lead  us  away  from  faith  to  works.  There- 
fore St.  Peter  says,  if  we  will  explain  it  right,  nothing 
but  this  :  there  shall  come  high  schools,  doctors,  priests 
and  monks,  and  all  classes  of  men,  who  shall  bring  in 
ruinous  sects  and  orders,  and  shall  lead  the  world 
astray  by  false  doctrines.  Such  are  those  whom  he 
means  here,  for  they  all  hold  to  the  notion  that  their 
state  and  Order  saves  them,  and  they  cause  men  to 
build  and  trust  thereon  ;  for  where  men  do  not  hold 
to  this  view,  they  carefully  keep  clear  of  entering 
them. 

And  shall  deny  the  Lord  who  bought  them.  "  Oh," 
say  they,  "  we  do  not  deny  the  Lord  at  all !  "  But  if 
any  one  says,  "  Since  you  are  ransomed  by  Christ,  and 
His  blood  blots  out  your  sin,  what  will  you  blot  out  by 


CHAP.  II.]  GENERAL   OP   ST.    PETER.  273 

your  mode  of  life?''  Then  they  say,  "  Ah  !  faith  does 
not  do  it  alone,  works  must  also  aid  towards  it."  Thus 
they  confess  the  Lord  Christ  indeed  with  their  mouth, 
but  with  their  hearts  they  quite  deny  him.  See  how 
admirably  St.  Peter  expresses  it.  They  deny  the 
Master,  he  says,  who  has  bought  them  :  they  should  be 
under  Him  as  under  a  master  whose  own  they  were. 
But  now,  though  they  believe  indeed  that  He  is  their 
master  and  has  purchased  the  whole  world  by  His 
blood,  yet  they  do  not  believe  that  they  are  bought, 
and  that  He  is  their  master  ;  and  they  say  "He  has 
indeed  bought  and  ransomed  them,  but  then  this  is  not 
enough, — we  must  first  by  our  works  expiate  the  sin  and 
make  satisfaction  for  it."  But  we  say,  if  you  yourself 
take  away  and  blot  out  your  sin,  what  has  Christ  then 
done  ?  You  certainly  cannot  make  two  Christs  who 
take  away  sin.  He  should  and  must  be  the  only  one 
that  puts  away  sin.  If  that  be  true,  then  I  cannot 
understand  how  I  am  myself  to  cancel  my  own  sin. 
If  I  do  it,  I  can  neither  say  nor  believe  that  He  takes 
it  away.  And  it  is  the  same  thing  with  denying 
Christ  ;  for  although  they  hold  Christ  to  be  their 
master,  they  deny  that  He  has  bought  them.  They 
believe,  indeed,  that  He  sits  above  in  heaven  and  is 
Lord  ;  but  that  which  is  His  peculiar  office,  to  take 
away  sin,  this  they  take  from  Him,  and  ascribe  it  to 
their  own  works.  Thus  they  leave  to  Him  nothing 
more  than  the  name  and  title  ;  but  His  work.  His 
12- 


274  THE   SECOND   EPISTLE  [CHAP.  II. 

power,  and  His  office,  they  will  have  themselves.  So 
that  Christ  has  truly  said,  "  Many  shall  come  in  my 
name,  and  say,  I  am  Christ,  and  shall  seduce  many." 
For  they  are  this  preeminently,  not  who  say,  "  I  am 
called  Christ,"  but  "  I  am  He  ;"  for  tliey  seize  to  them- 
selves the  office  that  belongs  to  Christ,  thrust  Him 
from  His  throne,  and  seat  themselves  thereon.  This 
we  see  before  our  eyes,  insomuch  that  no  one  can  deny 
it.  Therefore  St.  Peter  calls  them  damnable  or  ruinous 
heresies,  for  they  run  all  of  them  straight  to  hell,;  so 
that  I  suppose  that  among  a  thousand,  hardly  one  is 
saved.  For  whoever  shall  be  saved  therein  must  say 
this  much  :  "  My  obedience,  my  chastity,  &c.,  do  not 
save  me  ;  my  works  do  not  take  away  any  sin  from 
me."  But  how  many  there  are  who  have  these  views, 
and  remain  in  such  a  damnable  state ! 

And  shall  bring  upon  themselves  quick  damnation. 
That  is,  their  condemnation  shall  quickly  overtake 
them  ;  although  it  is  plain  that  God  forbears  long,  yet 
He  will  come  soon  enough.  But  it  is  not  a  thing  that 
respects  the  body,  that  we  should  be  able  to  see  it  with 
our  eyes,  but  just  as  the  fifty-fourth  Psalm  says,  "  They 
shall  not  live  out  half  their  day  ;"  that  is,  death  shall 
seize  upon  them  ere  they  themselves  suspect,  so  that 
they  shall  say,  like  Hezekiah,  Is.  xxxviii.,  "  I  have  said 
in  the  midst  of  my  life,  I  must  go  down  into  the  grave  ;" 
as  though  they  should  say,  "  O  Lord  God,  is  death 


CHAP.  II.]  GENERAL    OF   ST.    PETER.  275 

already  here  ? "  For  those  men  who  do  not  live  by 
.faith,  who  are  never  more  and  more  weary  of  life,  the 
longer  they  live  the  longer  they  would  live,  and  the 
holier  they  seem  the  more  terrible  will  death  be  to 
them,  especially  to  those  who  have  scrupulous  con- 
sciences and  cruelly  urge  and  vex  themselves  by  works, 
for  it  is  not  possible  to  vanquish  death  by  human 
powers.  Where  faith  is  wanting,  the  conscience  must 
tremble  and  despair.  Where  faith  is  strong,  death 
comes  too  slow  ;  while,  on  the  other  hand,  he  comes  to 
the  unbelieving  always  too  soon,  for  there  is  no  end  to 
the  thirst  and  love  of  life. 

This  is  what  Peter  means  here  :  these  people  who 
set  up  such  sects,  and  so  deny  Christ,  must  come  to  die 
with  the  greatest  unwillingness,  trembling  and  despond- 
ing ;  for  they  can  have  no  other  thought  but  this, 
"  Who  knows  whether  God  will  be  gracious  to  me  and 
will  forgive  my  sins  ?  "  and  they  remain  forever  in  such 
doubt,  "who  knows  it, — who  knows  it?"  and  their 
conscience  is  never  at  peace.  The  longer  they  thus 
continue,  the  more  terrible  is  death  to  them  ;  for  death 
cannot  first  be  subdued,  till  sin  and  an  evil  conscience 
have  been  taken  away.  So  will  their  condemnation 
come  upon  them  hastily,  so  that  they  must  abide  in 
eternal  death. 

V.  2.  And  many  shall  follow  their  destruction.  It 
may  be  seen  before  our  eyes,  that  it  has  come  to  pass 


276  THE   SECOND    EPISTLE  [CHAP.  II. 

just  as  St.  Peter  first  declared.  There  has  been  not  a 
father  or  mother  who  has  not  wished  to  have  a  priest, 
monk,  or  nun,  from  among  their  children.  Thus  one 
fool  has  made  another  ;  for  when  people  have  seen  the 
misfortune  and  misery  that  arc  found  in  the  marriage 
state,  and  have  not  known  that  it  is  a  safe  estate,  they 
have  wished  to  do  the  best  for  their  children,  to  help 
them  to  a  happy  life  and  freedom  from  wretchedness. 
So  that  St.  Peter  has  foretold  here  nothing  else  but 
just  that  the  world  should  become  full  of  priests, 
monks,  and  nuns.  Thus  youth,  and  the  best  tliat  are 
in  the  world,  have  run  with  the  multitude  to  the  devil. 
St.  Peter  says  it,  alas !  only  too  truly,  that  many  should 
follow  them  to  this  destruction. 

By  whom  the  loay  of  truth  shall  he  blasphemed.  This, 
too,  is  a  thing  that  may  be  seen  before  our  eyes.  To 
blaspheme  is  to  libel,  damn,  and  curse ;  as  when  one 
condemns  the  christian  estate  as  error  and  heresy.  If 
one  now  should  preach  and  say  that  their  course  is 
against  the  Gospel,  because  they  lead  men  away  from 
faith  to  works,  then  they  go  about  and  cry,  "  Thou  art 
cursed,  thou  leadest  the  world  astray.''  And  they 
blaspheme  even  yet  more,  in  perverting  what  Christ 
has  said,  and  saying  no  !  to  it.  As  when  they,  out  of 
that  which  Christ  has  bidden,  make  nothing  but  a 
story,  so  that  they  forbid  what  Christ  would  have  left 
free,  and  make  that  sin  which  He  makes  none,  besides 


CHAP.  II.]  GENERAL   OF   ST.    PETER.  277 

condemning  and  burning  whoever  preaches  against  it. 
The  way  of  truth  is  a  well-ordered  life  and  walk,  in 
which  there  is  no  fraud  nor  hypocrisy,  such  as  that 
faith  is  in  which  all  Christians  walk.  This  they  can- 
not bear  ;  they  blaspheme  and  condemn  it,  so  as  to 
praise  and  sustain  their  Order  and  sect. 

Y.  3.  And  through  avarice^  ivith  feigned  words  shall 
they  make  merchandise  of  you.  This  is  specially  the 
way  of  all  false  teachers,  that  they  preach  from  av- 
arice, that  they  may  fill  their  belly,  just  as  we  see  that 
not  one  of  them  has  held  a  mass  or  vigil  gratis.  So, 
too,  there  is  never  a  cloister  or  monastery  built,  whereto 
there  must  not  fall  a  full  measure  of  tribute.  So,  too, 
there  is  not  a  cloister  in  the  world  that  serves  the 
world  for  God's  sake.  It  is  all  of  it  done  merely  for 
gold.  But  if  any  one  really  preaches  faith,  that 
does  not  bring  in  much  gold  ;  for  then,  all  pilgrimages, 
indulgences,  cloisters,  and  monasteries,  to  which  more 
than  half  the  wealth  of  the  world  has  been  devoted 
and  given,  must  cease  ;  whereof  none  has  any  use  but 
the  priests  and  monks  only. 

But  how  do  they  act  to  get  the  gold  into  their  own 
hands?  With  feigned  words,  says  Peter,  shall  they  make 
merchandise  of  you.  For  they  have  selected  the  word 
by  which  they  make  money  of  the  people,  for  this  very 
purpose,  as  when  they  say,  "  If  you  give  the  dear  Virgin, 
or  this  or  that  saint  so  many  hundred  florins,  you  do 


278  THE   SECOND    EPISTLE  [CHAP.  II. 

a  most  excellent  good  work,  and  merit  so  much  in- 
dulgence and  forgiving  of  sin,  and  ransom  as  many- 
souls  from  purgatory. 

This  and  the  like  are  just  carefully  feigned  words, 
to  the  end  that  they  may  shave  us  of  our  gold ;  for  in  all 
this  there  is  really  no  desert,  nor  grace,  nor  blotting 
out  of  sin.  Still  they  explain  the  noble  words  of  Scrip- 
ture all  of  them  in  such  a  way,  that  they  may  traffic 
with  them  for  gold.  So,  also,  there  has  come  of  the 
holy,  gracious  Sacrament,  nothing  else  but  a  traffic,  for 
they  do  nothing  Avith  it  but  smear  the  people's  mouth, 
and  scrape  their  gold  from  them.  Observe,  then, 
whether  St.  Peter  has  not  drawn  and  painted  our 
clergy  to  the  life. 

Whose  judgment  now  of  a  long  time  lingereth  not^  and 
their  damnation  slumhereth  not.  They  shall  not  drive 
this  on  at  length,  nor  carry  it  out,  (he  would  say)  ;  for 
when  they  urge  it  most  strongly,  their  sentence  and 
condemnation  shall  fall  upon  them.  Even  now  it  goes 
forth  ;  they  shall  not  escape  it, — as  St.  Paul  also  says, 
II.  Tim.  iii :  "  Their  folly  shall  be  revealed  to  all,  so 
that  they  shall  be  put  to  shame  ;"  God  grant  that  they 
may  be  converted  and  come  out  from  their  dangerous 
state,  when  they  hear  and  understand  it,  for  though 
there  are  some  who  have  not  been  seduced  into  this 
state,  yet  is  it  in  itself  nothing  but  a  mere  pernicious 
sect. 


CHAP.  II.]  GENERAL    OF   ST.    PETER.  279 

Thus  St.  Peter  has  attempted  to  describe  the  shame- 
ful, godless  life  that  should  succeed  to  the  genuine 
doctrines  of  the  Gospel,  which  the  Apostles  preached. 
Now  he  goes  further,  and  sets  before  us  three  terrible 
examples — of  the  angels,  of  the  whole  world,  and  of 
Sodom,  how  God  condemned  them, — and  speaks  thus  : 

V.  4.  For  if  God  spared  not  the  angels  that  sinned^  hut 
has  thrust  them  down  to  hell  in  chains  of  darkness,  and 
given  them  over  to  be  reserved  for  judgment.  By  these 
words  St.  Peter  terrifies  those  who  live  so  gay  and 
secure  as  we  see  those  do  who  cleave  to  that  which 
the  Pope  has  enacted,  in  that  they  are  so  confident 
and  shameless  that  they  would  tread  every  one  under 
foot.  Therefore  he  would  say  this  much  :  Is  it  not 
great  presumption  on  their  part  that  they  go  on  so 
eagerly,  and  would  bring  every  thing  to  pass  by  their 
own  head,  as  though  God  should  yield  to  them,  and 
spare  them,  who  yet  spared  not  the  angels?  As  though 
he  had  said,  these  examples  should  justly  terrify  even 
tlie  saints,  when  they  see  such  a  severe  sentence  in  that 
God  has  not  spared  those  high  spirits  and  noble 
Ijeings  who  are  far  more  learned  and  wise  than  we, 
but  has  thrust  them  into  chains  of  darkness  ; — such  is 
tlie  severe  sentence  and  condemnation  whereto  He  has 
ordained  them,  in  which  they  are  held  bound  and  im- 
prisoned, so  that  they  cannot  flee  away  out  of  the 
hands  of  God,  since  they  have  been  cast  into  outer 
darkness,  as  Christ  says  in  the  Gospel, 


280  THE    SECOND    EPISTLE  [CHAP.  II. 

And  here  St.  Peter  shows  that  the  devils  have  not 
yet  their  final  punishment,  but  still  go  about  in  a  har- 
dened, desperate  state,  and  look  every  moment  for  their 
judgment,  just  as  a  man  that  is  condemned  to  death  is 
perfectly  desperate,  hardened,  and  more  and  more 
wicked.  But  their  punishment  has  not  yet  overtaken 
them,  but  they  are  now  only  bound  and  reserved  for  it. 
This  is  the  first  example. — Now  follows  the  second  : 

Y.  5.  And  spared  not  the  old  world,  hut  saved 
Noah,  the  eighth  person,  a  preacher  of  righteousness,  and 
brought  the  flood  upon  the  world  of  the  ungodly.  This  is, 
moreover,  a  fearful  example,  such  indeed  that  there  is 
not  a  more  bitter  one  in  the  Scripture.  One  might 
almost  despair  in  view  of  it,  who  was  even  strong  in 
faith.  For  when  such  language  and  such  a  sentence 
go  to  a  man's  heart,  and  he  thinks  of  it,  that  so  he  too 
ought  to  die,  he  must  tremble  and  despond,  if  he  is 
not  well  prepared,  since  among  so  many  in  the  whole 
world,  no  one  but  these  eight  only  were  saved.  But 
how  have  they  deserved  it,  that  God  by  such  a  severe 
sentence  should  have  drowned  all,  one  with  another, 
in  one  mass,  husband  and  wife,  master  and  servant, 
young  and  old,  beast  and  bird  ?  Because  they  led  such 
a  wicked  life.  Noah  was  a  pious  man  and  a  preacher 
of  righteousness,  and  had  already  lived  five  hundred 
years,  before  the  flood,  when  God  commanded  him  to 
build  an  ark,— on  which  he  wrought  a  hundred  years 


CHAP.  II.]  GEXEKAL   OF   ST.    PETER.  281 

thereafter  ;  and  he  led  throughout  a  uniformly  godly 
life.  Whence  you  may  judge  what  a  cross  he  had  to 
bear,  and  in  what  care  and  anxiety  the  pious  man 
stood,  when  he  must  needs  show,  by  words  and  works, 
that  he  was  a  Christian.  For  it  cannot  be  allowed 
that  faith  should  conceal  itself,  and  not  break  out  be- 
fore men  by  words  and  well-doing.  So  this  man,  alone, 
perhaps,  long  before  God  bade  him  build  the  ark,  exer- 
cised the  preacher's  office,  and  spread  the  word  of  God 
not  in  one  place,  but,  beyond  doubt,  through  many 
lands.  So  that  he  must  thus  have  suffered  much  and 
great  persecution  even,  inasmuch  as  he  is  specially  (as 
Peter  says)  sustained  and  kept  by  God,  or  he  would 
soon  have  been  overwhelmed  and  slain  ;  for  he  must 
thus  needs  bear  upon  himself  much  envy  and  hate,  and 
make  even  many  high,  wise  and  holy  people  his  ene- 
mies. Had  the  matter  not  been  helped,  then  the  world 
would  have  despised  the  word  of  God,  and  been  ever 
growing  more  wicked.  When  they  had  now  driven 
on  their  wickedness  to  great  length,  God  said,  "  My 
Spirit  shall  not  always  strive  with  men,  since  they  are 
flesh  ;  yet  will  I  give  them  the  term  of  an  hundred  and 
twenty  years."  Besides,  "I  will  destroy  from  the 
earth  the  men  whom  I  have  created,  from  man  even  to 
the  reptile,  (I  will  destroy  them)."  These  words  he 
preached  and  enforced  daily,  and  began  to  build  the 
ark  as  had  been  commanded  him  ;  and  he  labors  on  it 
a  hundred  years.      But  the  people  laughed  at  him, 


282  THE    SKCOXD    KPTSTLK  |CHAP.  II. 

and  were  only  so  much  the  more  obstinate  and  foolish. 
But  what  the  sin  was  for  which  God  destroyed  the 
world,  the  text  of  Gen.  vi.  tells  us,  that  the  children 
of  God, — that  is,  those  who  came  of  holy  parents,  and 
were  instructed  and  brouglit  up  in  the  faith  and  in  the 
knowledge  of  God,  sought  after  the  daughters  of  men, 
since  they  were  fair,  and  took  for  their  wives  whom 
they  would.  Thereafter  they  came  from  this  to  be 
powerful  tyrants,  who  did  everything  that  they  chose 
after  their  own  caprice  ;  wherefore  God  punished  the 
world  and  destroyed  it  by  the  flood. 

And  reduced  the  cities  of  /Sodom  ctnd  Gomorrah  to  ashes, 
overthrowing  and  condemning  them.  This  is  tlie  third 
example  drawn  from  the  destruction  of  those  five  cities, 
Gen.  xix.  Whereof  also  the  prophet  Ezekiel  speaks, 
in  chap,  xvi.,  addressing  the  city  of  Jerusalem  :  this  was 
the  sin  of  Sodom  thy  sister, — pride,  fullness  of  bread, 
luxury  and  idleness,  and  that  to  the  poor  tliey  did  not 
reach  out  the  hand,  and  have  lifted  themselves  up,  and 
have  wrought  such  shameful  cruelty  before  me  that  I 
have  even  destroyed  them."  For  Sodom  was  a  land, 
like  the  garden  of  the  Lord,  as  Moses  says,  and  a  rich 
mine  of  costly  oil  and  wine  and  all  things,  so  that 
every  one  would  think,  here  dwells  God.  For  this 
they  were  secure,  and  led  such  a  shameful  life  as  Moses 
has  written  of.  Such  sin  breaks  out  only  where  there 
is  an  assurance  that  they  have  enough  to  eat  and  drink 
and  to  spare,  and  idleness  is  joined  therewith  ;  just  as 


CHAP.  II.J  GENERAL   OF   ST.    PETER.  t^83 

we  still  see,  the  riclier  cities  are  the  more  shamefully 
do  men  live  in  them  ;  but  where  there  is  hunger  and 
cumber  there  the  sins  are  so  much  the  fewer.  There- 
fore God  permits,  in  regard  to  those  that  are  His,  that 
■  their  education  should  be  severe,  that  they  may  remain 
pure. 

These  are  the  three  fearful  examples  whereby  St. 
Peter  threatens  those  that  are  godless.  And  as  he  in- 
sists upon  it  so,  we  must  hold  that  this  is  its  import. 
And  it  is  spoken  especially  of  the  spiritual  order — pope, 
cardinals,  bishops,  priests,  monks  and  nuns,  and  all  who 
hang  upon  them.  These  are,  as  it  were,  angels  in  the 
Apostles'  stead,  appointed  to  this  very  end,  that  they 
should  preach  and  make  known  God's  word ;  for  an 
angel  is  a  messenger,  or  one  sent,  who  discharges  his 
message  by  word  of  mouth,  for  which  reason  preachers 
are  called  in  Scripture  angels, — that  is,  messengers  of 
God.  Such  angels  should  our  clergy  be.  But  as  these 
angels  of  old  fell  off  from  God,  and  set  themselves 
above  God,  and  wished  to  be  their  own  masters,  so 
these  do  also,  and  have  nothing  but  just  the  name  of 
messengers,  as  those  have  the  name  alone  of  angels.  So 
these  also,  as  they  have  gone  off  from  God,  shall  be 
held  in  chains  of  darkness  and  reserved  to  condemna- 
tion; as  he  has  said  above,  that  their  sentence  does  not 
linger,  nor  their  damnation  slumber,  although  punish- 
ment has  not  as  yet  overtaken  them. 

Beside,  they  are  like  that  former  world,  who,  al- 


284:  *  THE   SECOND    EPISTLE  [CHAP.  II. 

though  they  heard  the  prophets  and  the  word  of  God, 
yet  blasphemed  and  reviled  them  ;  and  as  Moses  writes, 
took  to  themselves  wives  according  to  their  pleasure, 
whomsoever  they  would,  and  became  great  and  power- 
ful tyrants.  Observe,  then,  whether  all  tl^at  which- 
Moses  wrote  of  those  is  not  now  taking  place.  These 
are  the  great  scamps  that  live  in  revelry,  oppress  the 
world  by  their  tyranny,  and  no  one  must  ask  of  them 
why  they  play  the  fool.  Whomsoever  they  will  they 
take  for  wife  or  daughter,  in  spite  of  any  one's  com- 
plaining ;  for  if  any  one  finds  fault  with  it  they  are 
themselves  judges,  and  there  is  no  one  who  can  win 
their  cause  of  them.  Therefore  whatever  they  can  de- 
vise to  bring  into  their  hands  by  oppression  or  fines, 
that  also  they  execute.  And  if  any  one  should  seize 
upon  it,  they  then  say,  "  it  is  the  spiritual  possession  of 
the  churches  ;  it  is  exempt,  and  no  one  must  lay  hands 
on  it."  And  as  to  those  who  preach  God's  word,  they 
punish  them  to  the  taking  away  their  life,  and  declare 
God's  sentence  on  those  that  laugh  at  them  ;  they  will 
not  hear  the  word,  and  they  persecute  the  very  preach- 
ers of  righteousness,  and,  remaining  great  and  mighty 
lords,  would  retain  their  title,  so  that  they  may  be 
called  spiritual,  like  those  that  are  God's  children,  yet 
rule  with  full  power  in  all  obstinacy  ;  but  they  must  at 
last  be  subdued  and  destroyed.  But  the  others  who 
preach  God's  word  shall  be  kept  and  sustained. 

Thirdly  :  as  the  land  where  the  cities  of  Sodom  and 


CHAP  II. 1  GENERAL   OF   ST.    PETER.  285 

I 

Gomorrah  were  was  a  mine  of  fat,  and  all  had  enough 
of  what  the  earth  could  bear,  thereby  the  people  became 
indolent,  glutted  themselves  'with  food  and  drink,  and 
to  none  of  the  poor  did  they  reach  out  the  hand.  Such 
is  the  case  also  with  our  Spiritual  Estate,  who  possess 
generally  the  best  land,  the  best  castles  and  cities,  and 
the  greatest  rents  and  tribute,  while  they  have  enough 
also  to  eat  and  drink.  Besides,  there  is  not  a  more 
indolent  class  of  people  on  earth,  that  lives  without 
anything  of  care  or  labor,  and  is  fed  by  the  sweat  of 
the  poor.  But  what  indolence  brings  along  we  may  see 
before  our  eyes.  The  Pope  forbids  them  to  take  a  mar- 
ried wife,  so  that  if  they  then  keep  their  concubines  and 
have  children  they  must  give  gold  to  the  bishop  for 
every  child,  whereby  they  will  smooth  the  thing  over 
and  cancel  the  sin.  I  will  not  here  speak  of  other  se- 
cret sins  which  one  dare  not  lightly  stir  up. 

Finally,  you  here  see  that  St.  Peter  accounts  of  the 
Spiritual  Estate  no  otherwise  than  as  of  Sodom  and 
Gomorrah,  for  they  are  all  su.ch  people  as  no  one  can 
be  benefited  by  who.  lend  none  a  helping  hand,  but 
seize  to  themselves  all  they  can,  under  the  pretence, 
which  they  put  forth,  that  what  is  given  to  them  is  given 
to  God,  and  they  let  no  one  be  helped  though  he  suf- 
.  fer  want.  Wherefore  just  as  those  were  overthrown 
and  turned  to  ashes,  so  shall  these  also  be  destroyed  at 
the  last  day. 


286  THE   SECOND   EPISTLE  [CHAP.  II. 

Y.  7.  And  rescued  righteous  Lot  who  was  troubkd 
greatly  by  the  libertine  course  of  the  wicked.  Was  it  not 
a  great  aggravation  that  they  not  only  rushed  publicly 
and  shamelessly  into  whoredom  and  adultery,  but  into 
such  sins  as  may  not  be  mentio];ied. — insomuch  that 
they  did  not  even  spare  the  angels  who  came  to  Lot, 
and  they  rushed  on  thus  in  their  course,  both  young 
and  old,  in  all  the  corners  of  the  city  !  Against  this, 
righteous  Lot  had  daily  preached  and  warned  them, 
but  all  in  vain,  except  that  he  is  vexed  by  them,  since 
he  must  stand  still  yet  cannot  smooth  over  the  evil, 
just  as  is  the  case  with  us  now,  for  there  is  no  more 
hope  to  reform  or  help  this  grievous  course  of  life  that 
the  world  leads. 

Y.  8.  For  while  that  righteous  man  dwelt  among 
them,  since  he  must  see  and  hear  it  all,  they  vexed  his 
righteous  soul  from  day  to  day,  by  their  ungodly 
deeds.  Here  Peter  describes  the  cross  which  this  holy 
man  must  have  borne,  while  he  preached  to  the  people 
and  brought  up  his  daughters  in  faith  ;  and  so  it  is 
accounted  toward  him  by  God.  Now  St.  Peter  de- 
cides how  the  godless  shall  be  kept  for  punishment  at 
the  last  day. 

Y.  9,  10.  The  Lord  hnoioeth  hoiv  to  deliver  the  godly 
out  of  temptation,  but  to  reserve  the  unjust  to  the  day  of 
judgment  to  be  punished,  but  especially  those  that  tvalk 


CHAP.  II.]  GENERAL   OF  ST.    PETER.  287 

after  the  flesh  in  the  lust  of  undeanness.  This  is  cer- 
tainly deep  passion  and  earnestness  in  the  Apostle.  If 
God  spared  not  (says  he)  the  young  new  world,  how 
much  more  severely  and  fearfully  will  he  now  punish 
those  to  whom  the  Gospel  has  been  revealed  and 
preached,  and  before  which  no  such  great  light  has 
arisen  ;  as  Christ  also  declares.  Matt,  xi., "  Woe  to  thee, 
Capernaum,  who  art  exalted  even  to  heaven  !  thou  shalt 
be  thrust  down  to  hell ;  for  if  the  deeds  that  have 
been  done  in  thee  had  been  done  in  Sodom,  it  had 
been  standing  at  this  day  ;  for  I  say  unto  you,  it  shall 
be  more  tolerable  for  Sodom  in  that  day  than  for 
you."  But  such  threatening  is  in  vain.  The  godless 
do  not  turn  themselves  for  it. 

To  live  in  the  lust  of  undeanness  is  to  live  just  like 
an  unreasoning  beast — according  to  mere  sense  and 
every  kind  of  lust.  So  everything  is  ordered  by  the 
Pope,  ordered  as  it  has  pleased  him,  and  all  must  sub- 
serve their  wilfulness  and  tyranny  ;  and  they  have 
warped  and  explained  all  just  as  it  has  pleased  them, 
and  thereupon  said,  "  the  holy  See  at  Rome  cannot 
err,"  while  there  is  not  one  who  has  preached  any- 
thing of  faith  or  love  ;  but  they  have  taught  nothing 
except  what  they  have  themselves  imagined. 

V.  10,  11.  And  those  ivho  despise  governments^  pre- 
sumptuous, self -conceited,  tremble  not  to  revile  digni- 
ties, lohereas  the  angels,  ivho  are  greater  in  poiver  and 


288  THE   SECOND    EPISTLE  [CHAP.  II. 

might,  bring  not  a  railing  accusation  against  them  be- 
fore the  Lord.  He  calls  kings,  princes  and  lords,  and 
all  civil  magistracy,  governments  ;  and  not  the  Pope 
and  bishops,  for  these  are  not  to  be  lords  at  all  ;  since 
Christ,  in  the  New  Testament,  is  represented  only  as 
a  servant — so  that  one  Christian  is  to  serve  another, 
and  hold  him  in  honor.  Wherefore  this  is  St.  Peter's 
meaning  :  that  they  should  be  subject  and  obedient  to 
civil  magistracy  ;  as  the  sword  is  introduced  by  God's 
ordinance,  stand  thou  in  fear.  Yet  they  do  the  very 
reverse  of  this.  They  have  excepted  themselves,  and 
say  they  are  not  subject  to  the  civil  magistracy  ;  yea, 
they  have  not  only  excepted  themselves,  but  have  even 
subjected  those  to  themselves,  and  trampled  on  them 
with  their  feet,  and  permit  themselves  shamelessly  to  be 
called  lords,  even  by  kings  and  princes,  just  as  the 
Pope  writes  of  himself  that  he  is  a  lord  of  heaven  and 
earth,  and  has  in  his  hand  both  the  civil  and  spiritual 
sword,  and  that  every  one  must  fall  at  his  feet. 

Besides,  St.  Peter  says  that  they  do  not  tremble  to 
blaspheme  dignities  ;  for  it  has  become  to  the  Pope  a 
small  and  slight  thing  to  put  kings  and  princes  under 
ban,  to  curse  them,  and  depose  them,  and  moreover 
excite  mischief  among  them,  and  stir  them  up  one 
against  another.  And  as  to  those  who  have  opposed 
themselves,  these  he  lias  quickly  overthrown  and  trod- 
den on,  not  because  they  have  done  anything  against 
faith  or  love,  but  onlv  because  thev  have  not  been 


CHAP.  II.]  GENERAL    OF    ST.    PETER.  289 

willing  to  be  subject  to  the  Romish  See,  or  kiss  the 
Pope's  foot,  because,  forsooth,  his  power  was  as  much 
greater  than  that  of  secular  princes  as  the  sun  is  than 
the  moon,  or  as  the  heaven  is  high  above  the  earth  ; 
so  they  lyingly  blasphemed,  while  yet  they  are  bound 
to  be  subject  and  obedient  to  them,  and  should  bless 
them  and  pray  for  them,  as  Christ  our  Lord  subjected 
Himself  to  Pilate,  and  gave  to  the  Emperor  the  penny 
tribute.  They  ought,  therefore,  to  tremble  at  reviling 
against  dignities ;  yet  are  they  unaffrighted  and  pre- 
sumptuous in  regard  to  it,  and  they  revile  with  all 
zeal  and  recklessness,  while  yet  if  even  the  strongest 
angels  cannot  endure  judgment  against  themselves 
from  the  Lord,  and  besides  are  struck  dumb  from 
cursing  and  reviling  the  very  One  from  whom  they 
cannot  escape,  how  then  will  these  wretched  people 
endure  it  ? 

V.  12,  13.  But  these  are  like  unreasoning  brutes,  that 
are  born,  in  accordance  with  their  nature,  to  be  taken  and 
destroyed;  they  speak  evil  of  that  which  they  do  not 
knotu,  and  in  their  own  ruin  shall  they  perish^  and  re- 
ceive therefrom  the  reioard  of  their  unrighteousness. 
U7ireasonaUe  brutes,  Peter  calls  them,  as  though  they 
had  within  them  not  a  spark  of  anything  that  smacked 
of  spirit,  performed  no  spiritual  duty  that  they  should 
do,  but  lived  like  the  fool,  and  became  effeminate 
through  a  carnal  life.  But  in  that  he  says  they  are 
13 


290  THE   SECOND   EPISTLE  [CHAP.  II. 

naturally  born  to  be  taken  and  destroyed,  it  may 
be  understood  in  a  two-fold  manner  :  first,  as  of  those 
that  take  and  destroy,  such  as  the  wolf,  lion,  bear,  the 
sparrow-haw-k  and  eagle,— so  these  grasp  to  them- 
selves, and  tear  away  from  others  all  they  can,  goods 
and  honor.  Secondly,  of  those  that  shall  be  taken, 
crushed  and  destroyed  at  the  judgment  of  the  last  day. 

2'hey  count  temporal  enjoyment  as  the  fullness  of  pleas- 
ure.   See  how  indignant  St.  Peter  is !    I  must  not  chide 
the  young  gentlemen  so  grievously.      They  think  if 
they  only  live  well,  and  have  good  times,  then  they 
have  enough  of  all  things,  and  are  right  well  off  ;  this 
one  can  easily  trace  in  their  spiritual  claim,  when  they 
say  that  whoever  touches  them  as  to  their  property  or 
their  belly,  is  of  the  deviL     They  themselves  cannot 
deny  this,  that  their  whole  system  is  framed  to  this 
end,  that  they  may  have  lazy  and  idle  times,  and  all 
that  can  sufiBlce  them.     They  will  lade  themselves  with 
no  trouble  or  labor,  but  every  one  must  make  and  de- 
vote enough  for  them.     They  must  go  to  the  choir  and 
pray.     God  has  commanded  all  men  that  they  should 
eat  their  bread  by  the  sweat  of  their  brow,  and  He  has 
imposed  trial  and  anxiety  upon  all.     Meanwhile,  these 
young  masters  would  slip  their  heads  out  of  this  noose, 
and  busy  themselves  with  kisses.      But  this  is   the 
greatest  blindness,  that  they  are  so  dumb,  and  there- 
fore hold  that  such  a  shameful  life  is  right  and  lovely. 


CHAP.  II.]  GENERAL    OF   ST.    PETER.  291 

Spots  are  they^  and  blemishes.  They  know  not  but 
that  they  adorn  Christianity,  as  the  sun  and  moon  do 
heaven,  and  are  the  noblest  and  most  precious  jewels, 
like  gold  and  precious  stones ;  yet  St.  Peter  calls 
them  spots  of  shame  and  blemishes.  The  true  chris- 
tian life  develops  from  faith,  serves  every  one  in  love, 
bears  the  holy  cross,  which  is  the  true  badge,  orna- 
ment, jewel  and  honor  of  the  Christian  Church  ; — but 
these  have,  in  place  of  the  cross,  lust  and  luxury  ;  in- 
stead of  love  to  their  neighbor,  they  seek  their  own 
interest,  snatch  all  to  themselves,  and  let  nothing  go 
from  themselves  to  another  for  his  advantage.  Thus 
they  know  of  faith  just  nothing  at  all.  For  they 
are  notliing  but  the  spots  and  stains  which  Christian- 
ity must  have  as  its  shame  and  derision.  That  is 
chiding  enough,  certainly,  for  our  spiritual  lords. 

They  lead  an  effeminate  life  tJirough  your  charity, 
feast  richly  on  your  goods.  What  was  given  at  first 
out  of  christian  love,  to  procure  a  common  fund  for 
widows  and  worthy  persons,  and  also  for  the  poor,  so 
that  no  one  among  the  Christians  need  suffer  want  or 
beg, — property  of  this  kind  is  now  all  devoted  to 
monasteries  and  cloisters,  from  which  our  ecclesiastics 
fill  their  bellies,  living  upon  it  most  luxuriously,  and 
revelling  in  it ;  and  to  this  end  they  say  it  belongs  to 
them,  and  no  one  shall  restrain  them  for  it.  The  Holy 
Spirit  will  not  permit  that  the  servants  of  the  church 


292  THE   SECOND   EPISTLE  [CHAP.  II. 

should  lead  an  effeminate  life  from  other  people's  labor  ; 
but  to  the  laboring  class,  and  to  man,  woman  and  child 
generally,  was  it  properly  devoted  of  old. 

Y.  14.  They  have  eyes  full  of  adultery.  Such  must 
always  follow  when  the  body  is  crammed  with  food 
and  drink,  and  loiters  indolent,  as  was  said  above. 
Wherefore  does  St.  Peter  say, — not,  they  are  adulterers, 
— but,  they  have  eyes  full  of  adultery  ?  It  is  as  much 
as  though  he  should  say,  They  think  ever  on  nothing 
but  fornication,  and  can  never  restrain  their  roguery, 
nor  be  satisfied  and  quiet.  This  is  the  cause  of  their 
continual  gluttony  and  revel,  so  far  as  they  can  push 
it,  and  thus  they  are  suffered  to  live  at  large  and  un- 
punished, just  as  they  like, — as  follows  : 

Tlieir  sin  is  not  to  he  interfered  with.  The  Pope  has 
forbidden  any  prince  or  secular  magistrate  to  punish 
ecclesiastics,  and  where  they  maintain  their  own  au- 
thority he  puts  them  under  bann.  But  this  matter  is 
committed  to  the  bishops ;  yet,  since  they  are  knaves 
themselves,  they  look  through  their  fingers.  Thus  they 
have  excepted  themselves  from  subjection  to  civil 
government  and  the  sword,  so  that  no  one  shall  dare 
to  restrain  them  in  their  caprice,  and  they  all  live  ac- 
cording to  their  own  lusts,  like  those  of  old  before  the 
deluge. 

They  allure  to  themselves  light-minded  souls.     With 


CHAP.  II.]  GENERAL   OF   ST.    PETER.  293 

such  great  show  as  they  exhibit  in  their  knavish  life, 
as  going  through  with  mass,  begging,  singing,  &c.,  do 
they  allure  and  draw  light-minded  and  unstable  souls, 
who  are  without  faith,  to  imagine  that  everything  is 
spiritual  ;  and  all  is  shaped  to  this  end,  that  men  may 
think  that  in  that  estate  every  one  shall  have  enough, 
and  good  times  besides,  and,  moreover,  that  he  shall 
reach  heaven  ;  and  yet  it  is  all  done  only  to  this  end, 
that  they  may  fill  their  bellies  and  their  dirt-bag. 

They  have  a  heart  'penetrated  with  covetousness.  This 
vice  is  so  gross  and  open  among  the  ecclesiastics,  that 
even  the  common  people  have  complained  of  it.  Yet 
he  says  not,  they  are  covetous,  but,  they  have  a  heart 
penetrated  with  covetousness,  and  especially  exercised 
therein.  This  may  be  seen  in  the  fact  that  they  have 
invented  so  many  swindling  and  cunning  stories  that 
it  is  impossible  to  count  them,  by  which  they  bring  all 
the  world's  wealth  to  themselves. 

All  that  this  class  practices  and  pursues  is  simple, 
pure  covetousness,  and  must  all  be  worth  money 
enough.  They  show  it  also  most  plainly  of  all,  as  they 
are  equipped  and  prepared  on  all  sides  to  call  on  men 
for  their  gold  ;  so  that  St.  Peter  was  certainly  not  a 
liar. 

They  are  children  of  cursing.  That  is,  in  the  Hebrew, 
as  much  as  to  say,  they  are  cursed  children,  subject  to 
the  curse  of  God,  so  that  before  God  they  have  no 


294  THE   SECOND   EPISTLE  [CHAP.  II. 

favor  or  salvation,  and  only  become  more  wicked  from 
day  to  day,  and  continually,  also,  greater  blasphemers 
of  God  ;  so  that  they  surely  lade  themselves  full 
enough  with  the  wrath  and  terrible  judgment  of  God. 
That  is  surely  spoken  severely  and  fearfully  enough  ; 
while  it  is  high  time  that  whoever  can  flee  and  run, 
should  flee  and  run  forth  from  this  cursed  state.  Should 
we  bear  such  a  title,  that  is  certainly  pitiful ;  but  if  the 
High  Majesty  also  arraigns,  curses,  and  condemns,— 
who  will  endure  it  ? 

Y.  15.  They  have  forsaken  the  right  icay,  and  gone 
in  error.  They  should  have  taught  the  right  way, — 
how  we  must  cleave  to  Christ,  and  come  to  God  by 
faith,  and  through  love  to  our  neighbor  ;  and  there- 
after bear  the  holy  cross,  and  endure  whatever  meets 
us  therefor.  But  they  preach  no  more  than  this,  "go 
hither  and  thither,— be  monk  and  priest,— found 
churches,  masses,  <fec.,  &c.  ;"  and  they  lead  away  the 
people  from  faith  to  their  own  works,  which  yet  are 
such  as  are  of  no  use  to  their  neighbor. 

Y.  15, 16.  And  have  folloiced  the  ivay  of  Balaam,  the 
son  of  Bosor,  icho  loved  the  reivard  of  unrighteousness, 
hut  had  a  rebuke  for  his  transgression,  the  dumb  beast 
of  burden  speaking  ivith  man^s  voice  and  reproving  the 
folly  of  the  prophet.  Here  he  brings  in  an  illustration 
from  the  fourth  book  of  Moses,  xxii.— xxiv.  When  the 
children  of  Israel  had  journeyed  out  of  Egypt  and  had 


CHAP.  II.]  GENERAL    OF   ST.    PETER.  295 

come  into  the  land  of  tlic  Moabites,  king  Balak  sent  to 
a  prophet  in  Syria,  by  the  name  of  Balaam,  and  be- 
sought him  that  he  would  come  and  curse  the  Jewish 
people,  that  they  might  become  weak  and  that  he  might 
slay  them.  Then  God  appeared  to  Balaam,  and  forbade 
him  to  curse  the  people  ;  therefore  the  prophet  declines 
to  comply  with  Balak.  Thereupon  the  king  sent  to 
him  once  more,  and  promised  to  give  him  large  wealth. 
Then  God  permits  him  to  go  to  him,  yet  he  shall  say 
nothing  but  what  He  shall  direct  him  to  say. 

Upon  this,  he  rose  up  and  mounted  upon  an  ass.   The 

angel  of  God  came  and  walked  in  the  way,  and  stood 

before  him  with  a  drawn  sword.     The  ass  saw  it,  and 

turned  aside  out  of  the  way,  at  which  the  prophet 

struck  her,  that  she  should  go  in  the  way.     Then  the 

angel  went  to  a  narrow  place  where  the  ass  could  not 

turn  aside,  and  when  she  presses  herself  against  the 

wall  and  bruises  the  prophet's  foot,  she  is  forced  to  fall 

under  him  upon  her  knee,  while  he  is  angered  so  as  in 

his  rage  to  strike  the  ass  with  his  staff.     Then  God 

opens  the  mouth  of  the  beast  to  speak  with  the  voice 

of  a  man,  and  she  said,  "  What  have  I  done  to  you  that 

you  should  strike  me  so?"     And  he  said,  "Ah!  if  I 

had  now  a  sword  in  my  hand,  I  would  slay  you."   Then 

the  ass  answered  and  said,  "  Am  I  yet  the  ass  upon 

which  thou  hast  ridden  continually  even  to  this  day, 

and  have  I  done  it  for  no  more  than  this?"     Then 

were  the  eyes  of  the  prophet  opened,  so  that  he  saw 


296  THE   SECOND   EPISTLE  [CHAP.  II. 

the  angel  with  the  drawn  sword,  at  which  he  was 
affrighted  and  would  have  turned  back  ;  but  the  angel 
of  the  Lord  bade  him  go  on,  but  thereupon  forbade  him 
to  speak  anything  else  than  what  He  should  say  to 
him. 

When  now  the  prophet  was  come  to  the  king,  he 
takes  him  up  to  a  height  from  which  he  could  see  the 
whole  people  of  Israel.  Then  the  prophet  bade  him 
erect  seven  altars,  and  on  each  offer  a  sacrifice  ;  and 
then  went  aside  and  asked  the  Lord  what  he  should 
say.  And  God  gave  him  his  word  in  his  mouth.  And 
he  rose  up  to  bless  and  glorify  the  people  of  Israel  with 
fair  words  ;  and  this  he  did  three  times,  one  after 
another.  Then  was  the  king  filled  with  wrath,  and 
said,  "Did  I  not  call  thee  that  thou  shouldst  curse 
mine  enemies?  and  yet  thou  hast  blest  them  now  these 
three  times.  I  had  thought  that  I  should  have  honored 
thee,  but  the  Lord  hath  turned  thee  away  from  honor." 
Balaam  answered  and  said,  "  Yet  I  told  thee  at  first, 
that  though  thou  shouldst  give  me  thine  house  full  of 
silver  and  gold,  still  I  could  speak  nothing  else  but 
what  God  should  say  to  me." 

Yet  did  the  prophet  afterward  give  the  king  counsel 
how  he  should  manage  with  the  people,  although  he 
might  not  curse  them  and  overcome  them  by  power, — 
so  that  they  sinned  against  God.  Then  the  king  sets 
up  an  idol,  by  name  Baal-Peor,  and  causes  that  the 
Moabite  women,  daughters  of  lords  and  princes,  should 


CHAP.  II.]  GENERAL   OF   ST.    PETER.  297 

ensnare  the  people  to  themselves  to  sacrifice  to  their 
gods  ;  and  when  they  had  brought  them  to  themselves, 
they  made  supplication  to  the  idol  with  meats  and 
drinks,  and  committed  sin  with  the  women.  Then 
was  God  angry,  and  commanded  the  chief  of  the  people 
to  be  hung  upon  the  gallows,  and  permitted  four  and 
twenty  thousand  men  to  be  overcome  in  one  day. 
Such  was  this  prophet  Balaam's  advice,  for  the  sake 
of  gold. 

Of  this  St.  Peter  here  speaks,  and  would  say  that 
our  ecclesiastics  are  specially  Balaam's  children  and 
scholars  ;  for  just  as  he  gave  evil  counsel  to  set  up  an 
idol  so  that  the  children  of  Israel  should  be  brought 
to  sin  and  provoke  God  that  they  should  be  slain,  so 
have  our  bishops  also  set  up  an  idol,  in  God's  name, — 
to  wit,  their  human  doctrine  of  their  own  works  ;  and 
they  let  faith  go,  and  they  lure  to  themselves  christian 
souls  whom  they  injure,  and  thereby  provoke  God  to 
anger,  so  that  he  has  punished  the  world  with  blindness 
and  stupidity.  For  all  this  we  may  thank  our  spiritual 
masters. 

Thus  Peter  compares  especially  these  false  teachers 
to  the  prophet  Balaam,  since  they  even,  like  Balaam, 
purely  for  the  sake  of  gold,  set  up  such  idolatry  and 
ruin  souls. 

Besides,  he  mentions  his  right  name,  for  Bileaam  or 
Balaam  is  he  called  in  Hebrew,  a  swallower  or  swiller, 
like  one  who  gapes  his  throat  open,  and  swallows  and 
13* 


298  THE   SECOND   EPISTLE  [CHAP.  II. 

devours  all.  This  shameful  name  must  he  bear,  be- 
cause he  has  brought  so  many  people  into  sin,  inso- 
much that  they  are  destroyed  and  overcome. 

Such  Balaamites  are  our  bishops  and  ecclesiastics, 
who  are  the  throat  of  the  devil,  by  which  he  draws  so 
many  souls  to  himself,  and  swallows  them  down.  But 
the  surname  of  this  prophet  is,  the  son  of  Bosor, — that 
is  to  say,  flesh, — or,  as  Moses  says,  son  of  Beor,  that  is, 
of  a  fool.  A  fool  is  his  father.  So  are  these,  also, 
blind,  dull  and  foolish  people,  who  must  yet  needs 
rule  ;  such  a  people  as  the  flesh  bears,  for  the  spirit 
makes  men  of  another  stamp.  So  God  has  given  these 
in  the  Scripture  their  own  name,  and  therein  they  are 
so  painted  to  the  life,  that  we  may  know  in  what 
account  they  are  to  be  held. 

Now  the  dumb  beast  of  burden,  the  ass,  signifies  the 
people  that  lets  itself  be  bridled  and  ridden,  and  goes 
as  it  is  led,  like  the  ass,  who  was  forced  and  beaten 
cruelly  when  he  went  out  of  the  way  into  the  ditch, 
and  must  neither  give  place  before  the  angel  in  the 
way  so  long  as  it  could  help,  nor  turn  aside,  and  so 
must  fall  down.  For  in  the  same  way  have  these 
seducers  also  urged  on  the  people,  until  these  last  have 
become  sensible  that  it  is  a  thing  not  to  be  endured, 
and  that  they  deal  unfairly  with  them,  and  have  wished 
to  turn  them  aside  from  the  way.  But  the  harshness 
has  been  so  gross  whereby  they  have  troubled  the  peo- 
ple, that  at  length  God  has  opened  our  lips  and  given 


CHAP.  II.]  GENERAL   OF   ST.    PETER.  299 

words  into  our  mouths,  so  that  even  the  children  speak 
of  it ;  whereby  their  folly  is  made  plain,  so  that  they 
must  be  ashamed.  In  this  way  we  ought  to  meet 
them  when  they  go  about,  and  give  out  that  it  belongs 
not  to  the  laity  to  read  the  Scripture,  and  therefore 
say,  we  must  hear  what  the  Councils  determine.  For 
then  you  may  answer,  Has  not  God  spoken  even  by  an 
ass  ?  Be  content  with  our  knowing  that  ye,  in  times 
past,  preached  the  word  of  God  ;  but  now  ye  have  be- 
come fools,  and  are  possessed  by  avarice,  what  wonder 
is  it  that  now  the  common  people  have  been  roused 
and  impelled  by  God  to  speak  the  truth,  though  it  has 
been  so  burdened  and  oppressed  like  a  dumb  beast  of 
burden.  This  is  their  likeness,  taken  from  the  prophet 
Balaam.  Now  St.  Peter  says  further  of  these  false 
teachers  : 

V.  17.  They  are  wells  without  ivater,  and  clouds  driven 
about  hij  the  whirlwind.  In  like  manner  Solomon  pre- 
sents us  a  comparison,  in  Pro  v.  xxv.,  and  says,  "  As 
when  a  great  cloud  and  strong  wind  go  forth,  and  yet 
no  rain  follows,  so  is  a  man  who  makes  high  boastings 
of  himself,  and  does  not  make  good  his  words."  So 
Peter  says  here,  also,  they  are  wells  ivithout  icater,  and 
clouds  driven  about  by  the  whirlwind ;  that  is,  they 
make  great  shoAV,  and  have  nothing  beside.  They  are 
like  the  dry,  false  and  exhausted  wells,  although  they 
have  the  fame  and  title  of  being   true  wells.      For 


300  THE   SECOND   EPISTLE  [CHAP.  II. 

Scripture  calls  those  who  teach,  wells,  as  the  ones 
from  whom  should  flow  that  wholesome  doctrine  by 
which  souls  are  to  be  quickened.  To  this  office  are 
they  anointed  and  set  apart.  But  what  do  they  do  ? 
Nothing,  as  a  general  thing  ;  for  they  have  nothing 
else  but  just  the  bare  name,  just  as  they  are  called 
shepherds,  and  yet  are  wolves. 

Besides,  they  are  the  clouds  which  the  wind  drives 
about — not  like  the  thick,  black  and  lowering  clouds 
which  are  wont  to  give  us  rain,  but  like  those  fleecy 
ones  which  move  about  and  fly  in  the  air,  and  are  very 
light,  which  the  wind  drives  wherever  it  will,  after 
which  no  rain  can  follow.  So  our  teachers  also  sweep 
about  and  move  high  in  Christendom,  like  the  clouds 
in  heaven,  but  let  themselves  be  driven  about  where- 
ever  the  devil  chooses,  to  whom  they  are  ready  to 
yield  in  all  kinds  of  lusts.  But  yet  they  preach  not 
a  word  of  God,  like  true  teachers  and  preachers,  who 
are  called  clouds  in  Scripture  (as  Is.  v.), — as  also  by  all 
that  gives  forth  water,  preachers  are  typified  in  Scrip- 
ture. 

For  whom  is  reserved  the  blackness  of  darkness  for- 
ever. They  live  now  at  their  ease,  and  things  go  with 
them  just  as  they  themselves  would  have  them.  But 
there  shall  come  an  eternal  darkness  upon  them, 
although  they  do  not  believe  nor  apprehend  it. 

y.  18.  For  they  speak  in  swelling  words,  tvhich  have 


CHAP.  II.]  GENERAL   OF   ST.    PETER.  301 

noteing  hack  of  them.  If  you  ask  how  tliey  may  be 
called  wells  without  water,  and  clouds  without  rain, 
while  they  yet  preach  throughout  the  whole  world,  St. 
Peter  answers  :  they  rain  and  preach,  alas  I  altogether 
too  much  ;  but  they  are  only  vain,  swollen  and  puffed-up 
words,  by  which  they  blow  the  poor  people's  ears  full, 
so  that  men  think  it  is  something  fine  ;  and  yet  it  is 
nothing  but  show.  Just  as  the  monks,  with  high,  bold 
words,  set  forth  their  obedience,  poverty  and  chastity, 
so  that  men  think  they  are  a  holy  people,  while  yet  it  is 
nothing  but  mere  trickery,  and  certainly  no  faith  nor 
love  can  be  found  among  it.  Like  this,  also,  is  their 
pretence  that  the  estate  of  bishops  is  a  more  perfect 
estate,  while  these  yet  do  nothing  else  but  ride  about 
pompously  on  their  fine  horses,  and  now  and  then  con- 
secrate churches  and  altars,  and  baptise  bells.  Such 
puffed-up  and  swollen  words  are  the  whole  spiritual 
law  of  the  Pope,  throughout. 

And  they  allure^  through  guile,  to  the  lust  of  the  flesh, 
those  who  had  well-nigh  escaped,  and  now  they  walk  in 
error.  This  is  what  these  wells  and  teachers  do,  so 
that  they  who  were  almost  escaped  must  fall  into  the 
snare  of  wickedness,  and  for  the  first  time  be  truly 
captured.  A  child  that  has  been  baptised,  rescued 
from  all  sins,  snatched  from  the  devil  and  set  out  from 
Adam  into  Christ,  when  he  conies  to  reason  is  soon 
entangled  and  led  away  into  error.     Men  should  be 


302  THE   SECOND   EPISTLE  [CHAP.  II. 

taught  of  faith,  and  love,  and  the  holy  cross,  while  our 
clergy  go  their  own  way,  throw  up  their  work  whereby 
these  persons  fall  back  again  into  error,  even  though 
they  had  escaped  it.  But  how  does  this  come  to  pass  ? 
Thus  :  in  that  by  guile  they  allure  the  people  to  the 
lust  of  the  flesh.  Their  strongest  persuasion  is  in 
their  saying  that  priests,  monks  and  nuns  should  not 
be  married,  and  should  bind  themselves  to  maintain 
chastity,  by  which  they  do  no  more  than  allure  to  un- 
chastity,  forasmuch  as  the  wretched  people  must  perish 
in  their  wicked  lusts,  and  there  is  nothing  to  help 
them. 

But  here  you  clearly  see  that  Peter  speaks  of  none 
other  than  teachers  who  bear  rule  in  Christendom, 
where  men  are  baptised  and  believers, — for  among  the 
Turks  and  heathen,  no  one  has  so  escaped  ;  it  is  only 
among  Christians,  where  they  have  the  chance  to  lead 
souls  astray,  and  bring  them  into  the  snare  of  the 
devil. 

Y.  19.  And  they  promise  them  freedom,  vjhile  they 
themselves  are  the  servants  of  coi^uption^  for  of  whom  any 
one  is  overcome,  his  servant  has  he  become.  They  set  up 
Orders  by  which  a  man  is  to  be  saved, — as  Thoma?,  the 
monk  preacher,  has  shamelessly  written,  that  when  a 
man  shall  enter  into  one  of  these  Orders,  be  it  as  vile 
as  it  may,  it  is  as  though  he  had  but  just  come  fortli 
from  his  baptism  ;  and  then  they  promise  him  freedom 


CHAP.  II.]  GENERAL   OF   ST.    PETER.  308 

and  forgiving  of  sins  by  works  of  his  own.  Such  blas- 
phemy must  we  hear,  while  they  set  their  human  fancies 
and  ludicrous  conceits,  destitute  of  faith,  on  a  level 
with  faith  and  baptism  which  God  has  established,  and 
which  are  peculiarly  his  work.  Who  is  to  endure  this 
and  still  keep  silent  ?  Such  stories  have  the  monks 
gotten  up,  and  they  cram  them  into  the  young  ;  and 
such  teachers  as  these  men  have  set  up  for  saints.  But 
the  other  saints,  truly  such,  they  have  burnt  to  ashes. 

y.  20.  For  if  they  have  escaped  the  pollution  of  the 
world  through  the  knowledge  of  the  Lord  and  Saviour 
Jesus  Christy  hut  shall  he  again  entangled  and  overcome 
in  the  same^  their  last  end  is  worse  for  them  than  the  first. 
There  Peter  shows  why  they  are  the  servant  of  cor- 
ruption. To  confess  Christ  is  to  know  what  he  is, 
even  our  Saviour,  who  forgives  us  our  sins  from  pure 
grace.  By  this  confession  we  escape  the  vice  and 
come  out  from  the  pollution  of  the  world.  But  though 
they  should  already  have  been  delivered  from  sin  in 
baptism,  they  shall  afterwards  be  plunged  therein,  for 
that  they  have  again  gone  from  faith  to  their  own 
works.  For  where  there  is  no  faith,  the  Spirit  is  ab- 
sent ;  but  where  the  Spirit  is  absent,  there  is  nothing  but 
flesh,  so  that  there  can  be  nothing  at  all  that  is  pure. 
So  has  it  come  to  pass  hitherto  in  regard  to  Chris- 
tianity. Rome  first  heard  the  pure  Gospel,  but  after- 
ward went  back  and  fell  awav  to  human  doctrines, 


304  THE   SECOND   EPISTLE  [CHAP.  II. 

until  even  upon  herself  all  abominations  have  come 
up  ;  so  that  her  last  end  has  become  worse  than  her 
first,  in  that  she  is  now  far  more  hopeless  in  her  hea- 
thenism than  she  ever  was  before  she  heard  the  word 
of  God. 

Y.  21.  For  it  had  heenfar  letter  for  them  that  they  had 
never  known  the  luaij  of  righteousness^  than  that  they 
should  know  it,  and  turn  themselves  away  from  the  holy 
command  that  has  been  given  them.  For  it  has  happened 
to  them  according  to  the  proverb^  The  dog  turns  to  his  own 
vomit  again,  and  the  soiv  after  her  washing  wallows  in 
the  mire.  This  proverb  St.  Peter  has  taken  out  of  the 
book  of  Prov.  xxvi.,  where  Solomon  says,  "  A  man  who 
repeats  his  folly  is  like  the  dog  who  turns  again  to 
his  vomit."  By  baptism  they  have  thrown  off 
unbelief,  and  have  been  washed  from  their  polluted 
life,  and  have  entered  upon  a  pure  life  of  faith  and 
love,  while  they  fall  off  from  it  again  to  unbelief  and 
their  own  works,  and  defile  themselves  again  in  the 
dirt.  So  that  we  are  not  to  make  this  proverb  bear 
on  works;  for  little  is  accomplished  by  one's  saying 
and  directing  at  confession,  "  Thou  shalt  henceforth  be 
chaste,  meek,  and  patient,"  &c.  But  if  you  will  be 
pious,  pray  God  that  he  will  give  you  a  real  faith,  and 
see  to  it  that  you  forsake  your  unbelief.  When  you 
shall  then  have  attained  faith,  good  works  shall  after- 
wards take  care  of  themselves,  so  that  you  will  live 


CHAP.  II.]  GENERAL   OF   ST.    PETER.  305 

purely  and  chastely,  even  thougli  you  should  secure 
yourself  by  no  other  means ;  and  though,  again,  you 
might  awhile  conceal  the  mischief  in  your  heart,  yet 
at  last  it  comes  out. 

This  is  the  second  chapter  of  this  Epistle,  wherein 
Peter  speaks  specially  of  our  teachers,  how  shamefully 
we  have  been  treated  by  them.     We  have  indeed  had 
warning  enough,  but  we  have  not  minded  it,  so  that 
the  fault  is  ours  that  we  have  not  laid  hold  on  the 
Gospel,  and  that  we  have  by  our  lives  deserved  such 
anger  of  God.     We  hear  it  generally,  all  of  us,  with 
gladness,  when  some  one  assaults  and  upbraids  the 
Pope  along  with  his  priests  and  monks  ;  but  yet,  no  one 
will  draw  advantage  to  himself  from  it.    It  is  not  such 
a  trifling  matter  of  sport  that  one  must  laugh  at  it,  but 
of  such  seriousness  that  the  heart  should  fear  and  trem- 
ble on  account  of  it.     Therefore  should  we  lay  hold 
upon  it  with  seriousness,  and  pray  that   God  would 
turn  away  from  us  his  anger  and  such  plagues.     For 
tliis  calamity  has  not  come  upon  us  unforeseen,  but  it 
is  sent  upon  us  by  God  as  a  punishment,— as  Paul  says, 
II.  Thes.  ii. :  "  Since  they  have  not  received  the  love  of 
the  truth,  that  they  might  be  saved,  therefore  shall 
God  send  upon  them  strong  delusion  so  that  they  shall 
believe  a  lie,"  &c.,  &c.     For  had  the  punishment  gone 
but  so  far  that  the  false  teachers  only  were  lost,  it 
would  have  been  yet  a  little  thing  against  the  fact  that 
they  have  had  the  rule,  and  carried  all  the  world  with 


306  THE   SECOND   EPISTLE  [CHAP.  III. 

them  to  hell.  Therefore,  in  regard  to  the  evil,  we  are 
to  take  no  counsel  except  to  apprehend  the  matter  in 
Godly  fear  and  humility,  confess  our  guilt,  and  pray 
God  to  turn  away  the  punishment  from  us.  By  prayer 
must  one  contend  against  the  false  teachers,  although 
the  devil  do  not  let  him  win. — Now  follows,  next : 


CHAPTER    III. 

y.  1,  2.  This  is  the  second  Epistle  which  I  write  to 
you^  helovedj  in  which  I  stir  up  your  pure  minds  to  re- 
membrance^ that  ye  may  think  upon  the  word  which  was 
said  to  you  hefore  by  the  holy  prophets^  and  upon  our  com- 
mand^ who  are  Apostles  of  the  Lord  and  Saviour.  Here 
St.  Peter  comes  to  us  again,  and  warns  us  in  this  chap- 
ter to  be  prepared,  and  look  every  moment  for  the  last 
day.  And  so  he  says  in  the  first  of  it,  that  he  has 
written  this  Epistle,  not  in  order  to  lay  down  a  ground 
of  faith,  which  he  had  done  before,  but  to  awaken 
remind,  arrest,  and  urge  them  not  to  forget  the  same, 
and  to  abide  in  the  clear  view  and  understanding 
which  they  have  of  a  true  christian  life.  For  it  is  the 
preacher's  office,  as  we  have  said  often,  not  only  to 
teach,  but  also  continually  to  admonish  and  restrain. 
For  since  our  flesh  and  blood  ever  clings  to  us,  God's 
word  must  be  stronger  in  us,  that  we  may  not  give 


CHAP.  III.]  GENERAL   OF   ST.    PETER.  307 

room  to  the  flesh,  but  strive  against  it,  and  gain  the 
upper  hand  of  it. 


Y.  3,  4.  And  know,  first  of  all,  that  in  the  last  days 
there  shall  come  scoffers  ivho  walk  after  their  own  lusts^ 
and  say,  Where  is  the  promise  of  his  coming  f  for  since  the 
fathers  fell  asleep,  all  things  remain  as  from  the  beginning 
of  creation.  Yet  are  men  swayed  hither  and  thither  by  a 
book  concerning  Antichrist,  wherein  it  is  written  that 
the  people  before  the  last  day  shall  fall  into  such  error 
that  they  shall  say,  there  is  no  God,  and  shall  scoff  at 
all  that  is  preached  of  Christ  and  the  last  day.  That  is 
true,  whencesoever  it  has  been  taken.  But  we  are  not 
so  to  understand  it  as  that  the  whole  world  shall  say 
and  hold  such  things,  but  the  greater  part.  For  that 
time  is  even  now  at  hand,  and  shall  prevail  yet  more 
when  the  Gospel  shall  come  down  among  the  people, 
when  the  proud  ones  shall  lift  themselves  up,  and  the 
secrets  of  many  hearts  break  forth,  which  are  now 
hidden  and  unknown.  There  have  even  already  been 
many  who  have  altogether  rejected  the  idea  of  the 
coming  of  the  last  day. 

Of  such  scoffers  St.  Peter  here  warns  us,  and  tells 
us  of  them  beforehand,  that  they  must  come,  and  rush 
'nto  this  hazard  and  live  as  they  list.  At  Rome  and 
in  Italy  this  word  is  now  at  length  fulfilled,  and  they 
who  come  thence,  bring  such  errors  also  forth  with 
them  ;  for  just  as  they  have  a  long  time  perplexed  them- 


308  THE    SECOND    EPISTLE  [CHAP.  III. 

selves  therein,  so,  also,  must  they  perplex  the  people 
by  the  same  means.  And  even  though  the  last  day 
were  now  before  the  door,  such  people  must  come 
abroad.  So  shall  be  fulfilled  that  which  Christ  says, 
Mat.  xxiv  :  "  Just  as  it  was  in  the  time  of  Noah,  so 
shall  it  also  be  at  the  coming  of  the  Son  of  Man  ;  for 
as  they  were  in  the  days  before  the  deluge,  they  ate, 
they  drank,  they  married  and  were  given  in  marriage, 
even  to  the.  day  when  Noah  entered  into  the  ark,  and 
they  knew  it  not  till  the  flood  came  and  swallowed 
them  all ;  so,  also,  shall  the  coming  of  the  Son  of  Man 
be."  Also,  "  The  Son  of  Man  shall  come  at  an  hour 
when  ye  think  not."  Also,  Luke  xxi  :  "  This  day  shall 
come  as  a  snare,  upon  all  that  dwell  upon  the  earth." 
And  once  more,  Luke  xvii :  "  As  the  lightning  lightens 
over  us  from  heaven,  and  shines  upon  all  that  is  under 
the  heaven,  so  shall  the  Son  of  Man  be  in  His  day," — 
that  is,  so  quick  and  unforeseen  and  sudden  shall  He 
break  in  upon  it,  while  the  world  shall  be  living  above 
all,  for  itself  first,  and  shall  throw  God's  word  to  the 
winds. 

Therefore  this  shall  be  a  sign  of  the  last  day  that  it 
is  near,  when  the  people  shall  live  as  they  list,  accord- 
ing to  all  their  lusts,  and  such  talk  goes  about  among 
them  as  this  :  "  Where  is  the  promise  of  his  coming  ? 
the  world  has  stood  so  long  and  continued  to  abide,  is 
it  now  for  the  first  time  to  be  otherwise  ?  "  Thus  Peter 
warns  us  that  we  should  not  be  surprised,  and  that  we 


CHAP.  III.]  GENERAL   OF   ST.    PETER.  309 

have  a  sure  sign  that  the  day  will  soon  come.— It  fol- 
lows, further  : 

Y.  5,  6.  But  this  in  their  obstinacy  they  will  not  know, 
that  the  heavens  of  old,  besides  the  earth  standing  out  of 
the  water  and  in  the  water,  were  {made)  by  God's  word, 
yet  through  the  same,  was  the  world  in  its  time  destroyed 
by  the  flood.     Such  people  they  are,  he  says,  as  show 
not  so  much  diligence  as  to  read  the  Scripture,  but  ob- 
stinately refuse  to  think  and  be  aware  that  so  also  it  . 
was  of  old,  when  Noah  built  the  ark  ;  the  world  which 
stood  and  was  made  through  the  water  and  in  the 
water,  was  destroyed  by  water,  and  the  people  were  yet 
so  safe  and  secure  that  they  thought,  surely  there  is  no 
danger,— yet  they  were  all  alike  destroyed  by  water. 
As  though  he  should  say,— if  God  has  for  once  de- 
stroyed the  world  by  water,  and  shown  by  an  example 
that  he  can  sink  it,  how  much  more  will  he  do  it  now 
that  he  has  promised  to  do  it. 

But  here  St.  Peter  speaks  somewhat  particularly  of 
the  creation.  The  heaven  and  the  earth  stood  fast 
aforetime  ;  they  were  made  of  water  and  stood  in  the 
water,  by  the  word  of  God.  Heaven  and  earth  have 
a  beginning  ;  they  have  not  been  forever  ;  the  heaven 
was  made  from  the  water,  and  there  was  water  above 
and  beneath,-but  the  earth  is  made  and  stands  in  the 
water,  as  Moses  writes,  whom  St.  Peter  here  quotes. 
All  is  sustained  by  God's  word,  as  it  also  was  made  by 


310  THE   SECOND   EPISTLE  [CHAP.  III. 

the  same,  for  it  is  not  their  nature  so  to  stand.  There- 
fore if  God  did  not  sustain  it,  it  must  all  soon  fall  down 
and  sink  into  the  water.  For  God  spoke  a  word  of 
power  when  he  said,  "  let  the  waters  under  the  heavens 
gather  themselves  into  a  separate  place,  that  the  dry 
land  may  be  seen  ; "  that  is,  let  the  water  put  itself 
aside  and  give  room  for  the  earth  to  come  forth, 
whereon  man  might  dwell, — yet  naturally  the  waters 
should  spread  themselves  over  the  earth.  Therefore 
this  is,  at  the  present  day,  one  of  the  greatest  miracles 
that  God  works. 

Now  St.  Peter  would  say  this  :  so  obstinate  and 
stupid  are  these  scoffers,  that  they  will  not  do  honor 
to  the  Holy  Spirit,  though  they  read  how  God  holds 
up  the  earth  in  the  water,  whence  they  should  be  con- 
vinced that  all  stands  in  the  hands  of  God.  Therefore, 
since  God  at  that  time  drowned  the  earth,  so  he  will 
deal  with  us  even  yet  again.  For  that  example  should 
certainly  convince  us  that,  as  in  that  very  case  he  has 
not  lied,  so  again  he  will  not  lie. 

V.  7.  But  the  heaven  which  yet  is,  and  the  earth,  are 
by  his  ivord  sustained^  that  they  be  reserved  for  Jive  in  the 
day  of  ^Judgment  and  condemiiation  of  ungodly  men.  At 
that  time,  when  God  destroyed  the  world  by  a  flood, 
the  water  pressed  down  from  above,  up  from  beneath 
and  from  all  sides,  so  that  nothing  could  be  seen  but 
water  onlv  :  because  the  earth,  as  its  nature  was,  must 


CHAP.  III.]  GENERAL   OF   ST.    PETER.  811 

be  swallowed  up  in  the  water.  But  now  he  has  prom- 
ised, and  given  the  rainbow  for  a  sign  in  heaven,  that 
he  will  no  more  destroy  the  world  by  Avater.  There- 
fore he  will  destroy  it  and  let  it  perish  by  fire,  so  that 
here  it  shall  be  fire  only,  as  there  it  was  water  only. 
Of  which  St.  Paul,  II.  Thes.  i.,  says  :  "  When  now  the 
Lord  Jesus  shall  be  revealed  from  heaven,  together 
with  the  angels  of  his  power,  and  with  flaming  fire," 
etc.  So  I.  Cor.  iii. :  "  Every  one's  work  shall  be  re- 
vealed ;  the  day  of  the  Lord  shall  make  it  clear,  which 
shall  be  revealed  with  fire."  So  when  the  last  day 
breaks  and  bursts  in  on  the  world,  it  will  in  a  moment 
be  fire  only  ;  what  is  in  heaven  and  in  earth  shall  be 
turned  to  dust  and  ashes,  and  all  things  must  be 
changed  by  fire,  as  that  change  took  place  by  water. 
This  shall  be  a  sign  that  God  will  not  lie  so  long  as  He 
has  left  that  for  a  sign. 

V.  8.  Bui  of  this  one  tiling^  beloved^  he  ye  not  ignorant ; 
that  one  day  with  the  Lord  is  as  a  thousand  years,  and 
a  thousand  years  as  one  day.  The  Lord  is  not  slack  con- 
cerning his  promise  as  some  men  count  slackness,  hut  he  is 
long-suffering  toward  you,  and  wills  not  that  any  one 
should  perish,  hut  that  all  should  come  to  repentance  ;  hut 
the  Day  of  the  Lord  shall  come  as  a  thief  in  the  night,  in 
which  the  heavens  shall  pass  away  with  a  great  noise,  hut 
the  elements  shall  he  melted  with  fervent  heat,  and  the 
earth  and  the  works  that  are  therein  shall  he  hurned  up. 


312  THE   SECOND   EPISTLE  [CHAP.  III. 

AVith  these  words  St.  Peter  meets  those  of  whom  he 
has  just  spoken,  who  say  :  "  The  Apostles  have  said 
much  about  the  Last  Day  coming  quickly, — and  yet  so 
long  a  time  is  past,  and  still  all  continues  as  heretofore." 
And  he  has  quoted  this  passage  from  Moses,  in  the 
Ixxxix.  Ps.,  where  he  says  :  "  A  thousand  years  are  in 
thine  eyes  as  yesterday,  when  it  is  past."  This  is  the 
scope  of  it. 

There  are  two  ways  of  viewing  things, — one  for  God, 
the  other  for  the  world.  So  also  this  present  life  and 
that  to  come,  are  twofold.  This  life  cannot  be  that,  since 
none  can  reach  that  but  by  death, — that  is,  by  ceasing 
from  this  life.  This  life  is  just  to  eat,  drink,  sleep,  en- 
dure, bring  up  children,  etc.,  in  which  all  moves  on 
successively,  hours,  day,  year,  one  after  another  :  if 
you  wish  now  to  apprehend  that  life,  you  must  banish 
out  of  your  mind  the  course  of  this  present  life  ;  you 
must  not  think  that  you  can  so  apprehend  it,  where  it 
will  all  be  one  day,  one  hour,  one  moment. 

Since  then  in  God's  sight  there  is  no  reckoning  of 
time,  a  thousand  years  must  be  before  him,  as  it  were, 
a  day.  Therefore  the  first  man,  Adam,  is  just  as  near 
to  him  as  he  who  shall  be  last  born  before  the  last  day. 
For  God  sees  not  time  lengthwise  but  obliquely,  just  as 
when  you  look  at  right-angles  to  a  long  tree  which  lies 
before  you,  you  can  fix  in  your  view  both  place  and 
parts  at  once, — a  thing  you  cannot  do  if  you  only  look 
at  it  lengthwise.     We  can,  by  our  reason,  look  at  time 


CHAP.  III.]  GENERAL    OF   ST.    PETER.  313 

only  according  to  its  duration  ;  we  must  begin  to  count 
from  Adam,  one  year  after  another,  even  to  the  last 
day.  But  before  God  it  is  all  in  one  heap  ;  what  is 
long  with  us  is  short  with  him, — and  again,  here  there  is 
neither  measure  nor  number.  So  when  man  dies,  the 
body  is  buried  and  wastes  away,  lies  in  the  earth  and 
knows  nothing  ;  but  when  the  first  man  rises  up  at  the 
last  day,  he  will  think  he  has  lain  there  scarcely  an 
hour,  while  he  will  look  about  himself  and  become  as- 
sured that  so  many  people  were  born  of  him  and  have 
come  after  him,  of  whom  he  had  no  knowledge  at  all. 

This,  then,  is  St.  Peter's  meaning  :  the  Lord  does  not 
delay  his  promise  as  some  scoffers  let  themselves  imag- 
ine, but  is  long-suffering  ;  therefore  should  ye  be  pre- 
pared for  the  last  day, — for  it  will  come  soon  enough  to 
every  one  after  his  death,  in  that  he  will  say,  "  lo  !  I 
have  but  just  now  died ! "  But  it  comes  upon  the 
world  all  too  soon :  when  the  people  shall  say,  "  there 
is  peace,  no  danger  threatens,"  it  shall  break  forth  and 
come  upon  them,  as  St.  Paul  says,  I.  Thess.  v.  And 
with  so  great  a  noise  shall  the  day  tear  its  way  and 
burst  forth  like  a  great  storm,  that  in  a  moment  must 
all  be  wasted. 

N.  11,  12.    Since  then  all  this  must  pass  away^  how 

careful  should  ye  he  in  all  holy  conduct  and  a  Godly  life^ 

tJiat  ye  wait  for  and  hasten  to  the  coming  of  the  day  of 

the  Lord.      Since  ye  know  this,  that   all   must  pass 

14 


314  THE   SECOND   EPISTLE  [CHAP.  III. 

away,  both  heaven  and  earth, — think  how  ye  shall  be 
prepared  to  meet  this  day,  by  a  holy  and  godly  life 
and  conversation.  For  Peter  describes  this  day  as 
one  that  is  to  come  even  now,  so  that  men  should  be 
prepared  for  it,  to  hope  for  it  with  joy,  and  even  hasten 
to  run  to  meet  it,  as  that  which  sets  us  free  from  death, 
sin  and  hell. 

V.  12, 13.  In  which  the  heavens  shall  pass  away  hyfire^ 
and  the  elements  shall  he  melted  with  fervent  heat ;  hut  we 
look  for  a  new  heaven  and  a  new  earth,  according  to  his 
promise^  in  which  divelleth  righteousness.  God  has  prom- 
ised by  the  prophets,  here  and  there,  that  he  would 
create  a  new  heaven  and  a  new  earth, — as  in  Is.  Ixv., 
"  Behold,  I  will  create  a  new  heaven  and  a  new  earth, 
wherein  ye  shall  be  happy,  and  shout  and  leap  for  joy." 
So  in  XXX.  "  The  appearance  of  the  moon  shall  be  as 
the  light  of  the  sun,  and  the  splendor  of  the  sun  shall 
be  seven  times  as  bright,  as  though  seven  days  were 
joined  one  into  another  ;  "  and  Christ  says.  Matt,  xiii., 
"  The  righteous  shall  shine  like  the  sun,  in  their  Father's 
kingdom."  How  that  is  to  pass  away  we  cannot  know, 
except  that  the  promise  is,  that  such  a  heaven  and  earth 
are  to  be,  wherein  no  sin,  but  righteousness  only,  and 
the  children  of  God  shall  dwell ;  as  also  St.  Paul  says, 
Rom.  viii.,  there  shall  be  pure  love,  pure  joy,  and  noth- 
ing but  God's  kingdom." 

Here  some  may  disquiet  themselves  as  to  whether 


CHAP.  III.]  GENERAL   OF   ST.    PETER.  815 

the  saints  shall  have  their  station  in  heaven  or  on 
earth.  The  text  seems  to  imply  that  man  shall  dwell 
upon  the  earth, — yet  so  that  all  heaven  and  earth  shall 
be  a  paradise  wherein  God  dwells,  for  God  dwells  not 
alone  in  heaven,  but  in  all  places,  wherefore  the  elect 
shall  be  also  even  where  He  is. 

V.  14.  Therefore,  my  beloved^  since  ye  look  for  such 
things^  he  diligent,  that  ye  may  he  found  of  him  without 
spot,  and  hlameless,  in  peace.  Since  ye  have  escaped, 
he  says,  such  misery,  and  come  to  so  great  joy,  ye 
should  suffer  yourselves  to  be  persuaded  to  despise  will- 
ingly all  that  is  upon  the  earth,  and  suffer  cheerfully 
whatever  duty  requires.  Therefore  should  ye  be  dili- 
gent, that  ye  may  live  a  peaceful  and  blameless  life. 

V.  15.  A7id  the  long-suffering  of  our  Lord  Je:jus  Christ 
account  for  your  salvation.  In  that  He  so  spares,  and 
delays,  and  does  not  come  to  speedy  judgment,  take  ac- 
count of  this  as  designed  for  your  benefit.  He  had  good 
reason  to  be  angry  and  to  punish,  yet  out  of  His  grace 
He  does  it  not. 

V.  15,  16.  As  also  our  beloved  brother  Paul,  according 
to  the  loisdom  that  has  been  given  unto  him  has  written, 
as  he  also  in  all  his  letters  speaks  thereof,  in  ichich  are 
some  things  hard  to  be  imderstood,  which  the  unlearned 
and  unstable  wrest,  as  they  also  do  other  Scriptures,  to 
their  own  destruction.     There  St.  Peter  bears  testimonv 


316  THE   SECOND    EPISTLE  [CHAP.  III. 

for  the  Apostle  Paul  in  respect  to  his  doctrine,  which 
shows  plainly  enough  that  this  Epistle  was  written 
long  after  St.  Paul's  Epistles.  And  this  is  one  of  the 
passages  which  might  be  adduced  to  maintain  that  this 
Epistle  is  not  St.  Peter's,  as  also  there  was  one  before 
this  in  this  chapter — namely,  where  he  says,  "  the  Lord 
wills  not  that  any  should  be  lost,  but  that  every 
one  should  give  himself  to  repentance."  For  it  falls 
some  little  below  the  Apostolic  spirit ;  still  it  is  credi- 
ble that  it  is  none  the  less  the  Apostle's,  for  since 
herein,  he  is  writing  not  of  faith  but  of  love,  he  lets 
himself  down  somewhat,  as  the  manner  of  love  is,  in- 
asmuch as  it  humbles  itself  toward  its  neighbor,  just 
as  faith  rises  above  itself. 

But  he  has  yet  seen  that  many  unstable  spirits 
wrested  and  perverted  St.  Paul  in  his  words  and  doc- 
trines, inasmuch  as  some  things  in  his  Epistles  are  hard 
to  be  understood, — as  when  he  speaks  in  this  way,  "  that 
no  one  is  justified  by  works,  but  by  faith  alone  ; "  so, 
too,  "  the  law  is  given  to  make  sin  more  gross  ; "  so, 
too,  "where  sin  abounded,  there  grace  much  more 
abounds,"  and  more  passages  of  the  same  sort.  For 
when  men  hear  such,  then  they  say,  if  that  is  true,  we 
will  go  on  indolently,  and  do  no  good  work,  and  so  be 
righteous,  as  men  even  now  say,  that  we  forbid  good 
works  ;  for  if  one  so  perverts  St.  Paul's  own  words, 
what  wonder  is  it  that  they  should,  in  like  manner, 
pervert  ours  ? 


CHAP.  III.]  GENERAL   OP   ST.    PETER.  317 

V.  17,  18.   But  ye,  my  beloved,  since  ye  know  this  he- 
forehand,  beware  for  yourselves  that  ye  be  not  led  away 
by  the  error  of  the  wicked  likewise,  and  fall  from  your  own 
steadfastness.     But  grow  in  grace,  and  in  knowledge  of 
our  Lord  and  Saviour  Jesus  Christ,  to  ivhom  be  praise, 
now  and  forever.    Amen.     Since  ye  know,  he  says,  all 
that  has  been  said  above,  and  see  that  many  false  teach- 
ers must  come,  who  lead  the  world  astray,  and  such 
scoffers  as  pervert  the  Scripture  and  will  not  under- 
stand it,  take  care  of  yourselves  ;  guard  against  them 
with  diligence,  that  ye  fall  not  from  the  faith  by  doc- 
trines of  error  ;  and  grow,  so  as  to  become  stronger 
from  day  to  day  by  the  steadfast  practice  and  preach- 
ino-  of  the  word  of  God.     Here  observe  how  great  care 
the  Apostle  shows  for  those  who  have  come  to  believe, 
which  urged  him  even  to  write  these  two  Epistles, 
wherein    is   richly   comprehended  what   a    Christian 
should  know,  besides  also  that  which  is  yet  to  come. 
May  God  give  his  grace,  that  we  also  may  seize  hold 
upon  and  retain  it.     Amen. 


THE   EPISTLE 


OF 


SAi:^T  JUDE. 


V.  1,  2.  Jude^  a  servant  of  Jesus  Christ,  hut  a  brother 
of  James,  to  those  that  are  called  to  be  holy  in  God  the 
Father,  and  preserved  in  Jesus  Christ,  mercy  unto  you 
and  peace  and  love  be  multiplied.  This  Epistle  is  as- 
cribed to  the  holy  Apostle,  St.  Jude,  brother  of  the 
two  Apostles,  James  the  Less  and  Simon,  by  the  sister 
of  the  mother  of  Christ,  who  is  called  Mary  (wife)  of 
James  or  Cleopas,  as  we  read  in  Mark  vi.  But  this 
Epistle  cannot  be  looked  upon  as  being  that  of  one 
who  was  truly  an  Apostle,  for  the  author  speaks  in  it 
of  the  Apostles,  as  being  much  their  junior.  It  has  even 
nothing  peculiar  about  it,  except  that  it  refers  to  the 
second  Epistle  of  St.  Peter,  from  which  it  has  taken 
nearly  all  its  words,  and  is  scarcely  anything  else  than 
an  Epistle  against  our  clergy,  bishops,  priests  and 
monks.* 

Y.  3.  Beloved,  since  I  gave  all  diligence  to  write  unto 
you  of  the  common  salvation,  I  am  necessitated  to  write  to 
you,  and  admonish  you,  that  ye  should  contend  earnestly 

*  It  is  well  known  that  at  an  early  period  the  book  of  Jude  was 
reckoned  among  the  antilegomena.     This  was  mainly  in  consequence  of 
its  references  to  the  Apocryphal  books  of  Enoch  and  of  the  Ascension 
[318] 


SAINT    JUDE.  319 

for  the  faith  which  was  once  delivered  to  the  saints. 
That  is  as  much  as  to  say,— I  am  necessitated  to  write  to 
you,  so  that  I  may  remind  and  admonish  you  how  ye 
should  go  forward  and  persevere  in  the  faith  which  has 
already,  before  this,  been  once  preached  to  you  ;  or  as 
though  he  should  say,  It  is  necessary  that  I  should  ad- 
monish you  that  ye  be  on  your  guard  and  remain  in 
the  right  way  ;  but  as  to  why  this  is  needed,  he  gives 
the  reason,  and  says  : 

V.  4.  For  there  are  some  men  tvho  have  secretly  come 
in,  ivho  tvere  ordained  of  old  to  this  condemnation.  For 
this  cause  will  I  remind  you  that  ye  should  abide  in  the 
faith  which  ye  have  heard,  because  there  is  even  now  a 
wavering,  and  already  there  have  come  preachers,  who 
set  up  other  doctrines  besides  faith,  by  which  people 
are  led  away  gently  and  unsuspectingly  from  the  true 
way.  So  St.  Peter  also  said,  in  his  Epistle,  "  there 
shall  be  false  teachers  among  you,  who  shall  secretly 
bring  in  destructive  heresies,  &c."  These,  he  says, 
"  are  long  ago  appointed  to  such  a  sentence  of  condem- 

of  Christ.  Yet  De  Wette,  than  whom  none  would  be  more  disposed  to 
sift  it  thoroughly,  says,  '^  no  important  objection  to  the  genuineness  of 
the  Epistle  can  be  made  good ;  neither  the  use  of  the  Apocryphal  book 
of  Enoch,  nor  the  resemblance  of  v.  24  to  Rom.  xvi.  25,  nor  a  style 
of  writing  which  betrays  a  certain  familiarity  with  the  Greek  tongue. 
The  Epistle  is  less  open  to  suspicion,  as  the  author  does  not  distinctly 
claim  to  be  an  Apostle,  nor  can  a  pretext  for  forgery  be  discovered." 
Again,  he  says :  -  they  who  regard  the  Son  of  Alpheus  and  the  brother 
of  the  Lord  as  one  and  the  same  person,  are  quite  consistent  in  regard- 
ing our  Jude  likewise  as  an  Apostle."  To  this  view  De  Wette  himself 
does  not  accede,  and  thus  agrees  substantially  with  Luther. 


320  THE    EPISTLE    OF 

nation."  This  we  now  well  understand,  since  we  know 
that  no  one  is  righteous  and  justified  by  w^orks  of  his 
own,  but  only  through  faith  in  Christ,  insomuch  that 
he  must  rely  on  the  w^ork  of  Christ  as  his  chief  good. 
Then  where  there  is  faith,  whatever  is  done  as  works 
is  all  done  for  the  good  of  our  neighbor,  and  thus  we 
guard  ourselves  against  all  works  which  are  not  per- 
formed with  the  intent  that  they  shall  be  of  service  to 
our  neighbor,  as  is  now  the  estate  of  priests  and  monks. 
Therefore  whprever  any  one  now  secretly  introduces 
anything  else  than  this  doctrine  of  faith,  in  regard  to 
such  orders  and  works,  he  leads  the  people  astray,  so 
that  they  shall  be  condemned  along  with  him. 

Who  are  godless,  and  turn  the  grace  of  God  into  wan- 
tonness. That  Gospel  which  is  given  us  concerning  the 
grace  of  God,  and  which  sets  Christ  before  us,  as  he  is 
offered  to  and  bestowed  upon  us,  with  all  that  he  has, 
that  we  may  be  freed  from  sin,  death  and  all  evil,  such 
grace  and  blessing  offered  to  us  by  the  Gospel,  they 
use  merely  to  indulge  their  wantonness, — that  is,  they 
call  themselves  Christians,  indeed,  and  praise  the  Gos- 
pel, but  they  bring  in  such  an  order,  as  therein  to  work 
their  own  caprice,  in  eating  and  drinking  and  wanton 
life,  while  they  make  their  boast  and  say  we  are  not  in 
a  secular  but  a  spiritual  estate,  and  under  such  names 
and  pretence  they  have  grasped  all  enjoyment,  honor 
and  pleasure.  This,  already,  says  Jude,  begins.  For  we 
read  that  it  had  alreadv  begun  a  thousand  years  ago  ; 


SAINT  JUDE.  321 

that  the  bishops  then  wished  to  be  Lords  and  to  be 
more  highly  exalted  than  common  christians,  as  we 
also  see  in  St.  Jerome's  Epistles. 

And  they  deny  God,  that  he  alone  is  Lord,  and  our 
Lord  Jesus  Christ.  This  is  what  St.  Peter  said  also  in 
his  Epistle  ;  but  this  they  deny  (as  we  have  heard).  It  is 
not  done  by  their  mouth,  for  with  this  they  confess 
that  God  is  one  Lord,  but  they  deny  that  Christ  is 
Lord  in  fact,  and  by  their  works  ;  they  hold,  not  Him, 
but  themselves  as  their  Lord, — for  while  they  preach 
that  fasts,  pilgrimages,  church  ordinances,  chastity, 
obedience,  poverty,  etc.,  are  the  way  to  salvation,  they 
lead  the  people  astray  to  their  own  works,  and  yet  are 
silent  about  Christ ;  and  it  is  just  as  much  as  if  they 
said,  Christ  is  of  no  avail  to  you.  His  works  noway 
help  you,  but  you  must  by  your  own  works  merit  sal- 
vation. Thus  they  deny  the  Lord  who  has  bought  us 
with  his  blood,  as  Peter  says. 

Y.  5,  6,  7.  /  will  therefore  remind  you  that  ye  once 
knew  this,  that  the  Lord,  when  he  saved  the  people  out  of 
Egypt,  afterward  destroyed  those  that  believed  not.  Also, 
the  angels,  who  kept  not  their  first  estate,  hut  left  their  own 
habitation,  he  has  reserved  to  the  judgment  of  the  great  day, 
in  everlasting  chains,  under  darkness.  As  also  Sodom 
and  Gomorrah,  and  the  cities  lying  about  them,  which  in 
like  manner  as  these,  rioted  in  fornication,  and  ivent  after 
strange  flesh,  are  set  forth  for  an  example,  and  bear  the 
pain  of  eternal  fire.  Here  he  adduces,  also,  three 
id" 


322  THE   EPISTLE   OF 

examples,  as  St.  Peter  does  in  his  Epistle  ;  but  the  first 
which  he  presents  is  to  this  efi'ect :  that  God  permitted 
the  children  of  Israel  whom  he  had  brought  out  of 
Egypt  by  many  wonderful  works,  when  they  did  not 
believe,  to  be  overthrown  and  defeated,  so  that  of  them 
all  not  more  than  two  survived,  when  there  were  num- 
bered, of  all  that  went  forth  from  twenty  years  of  age 
and  above,  more  than  six  hundred  thousand  men.  This 
example  he  sets  forth  as  a  warning  and  a  terror ;  as 
though  he  should  say,  those  who  are  now  called  Chris- 
tians, and  under  this  name  turn  the  grace  of  God  into 
wantonness,  are  to  beware  to  themselves  that  it  do  not 
come  to  pass  with  them  as  it  came  to  pass  with  those. 
And  true  enough,  these  are  the  times  when  the  Pope- 
dom is  exalted  and  the  Gospel  kept  secret  through  the 
whole  world  ;  when,  too,  there  comes  continually  one 
plague  after  another,  by  which  God  has  punished  the 
unbelieving  and  thrown  them  into  the  throat  of  the 
Devil. 

V.  8.  Like  them  also  are  these  dreamers,  loho  defile  the 
flesh.  These  teachers  he  calls  dreamers  ;  for  just  as 
when  a  man  lies  in  a  dream  he  deals  with  images,  and 
thinks  he  has  something  real,  but  when  he  wakes  up  it 
is  nothing  at  all, — but  he  sees  then  that  it  was  a  dream, 
and  counts  it  of  uo  importance,— ^so,  too,  what  these 
say  is  nothing  else  than  a  mere  dream  ;  for  when  once 
their  eyes  shall  be  opened,  they  shall  see  that  it  is 
nothing  at  all.     As  when  they  go  about  pretending 


SAINT   JUDE.  323 

that  their  tonsure  and  cowl,  obedience,  poverty  and 
chastity  are  well-pleasing  to  God,  they  have  this  before 
their  eyes  ;  yet,  in  God's  sight  it  is  nothing  but  a  mere 
dream.  So  he  has  given  them  a  truly  fitting  name, 
inasmuch  as  they  deal  with  dreams,  by  which  they 
cheat  themselves  and  the  world. 

But  especially  do  the  Apostles  ascribe  to  the  cleri- 
cal order  the  vice  of  leading  an  unchaste  life  ;  and 
God  long  ago  foretold  that  they  should  have  no  wives. 
Now  it  is  scarcely  possible  that  God  should  work  as 
many  miracles  as  there  are  persons  in  the  order,  so 
that  it  cannot  be  that  they  are  chaste.  So,  likewise, 
has  the  prophet  Daniel  spoken,  chap,  xi.,  of  the  Pope's 
rule :  ''  He  shall  not  regard  women  (in  marriage)." 
This  is  the  external  characteristic,  as  the  inward  is 
that  they  are  dreamers. 

Who  despise  governments  and  speak  evil  of  dignities. 
Their  third  characteristic  is,  that  they  will  not  be  sub- 
ject to  civil  authority.  Yet  we  have  been  taught, 
while  we  live  on  earth,  that  we  are  all  under  obliga- 
tion ;  that  we  are  to  be  subject  and  obedient  to  the 
sovereignty  ;  for  the  Christian  faith  does  not  do  away 
with  civil  rule, — therefore  no  one  can  except  himself 
from  it,  because  the  Pope's  decree  concerning  the 
Church's  freedom  is  a  mere  devil's  law, 

V.  9.  But  3Iicliael  the  archangel,  lohen  he  contended 
loiih  the  devil,  and  disputed  about  the  body  of  Moses, 
durst  not  let  drop  against  him  a  railing  accusation,  hut 


324  THE    EPISTLE   OF 

said,  The  Lord  rebuke  thee.  This  is  one  of  the  reasons 
why  this  Epistle  was  formerly  rejected,  because  here 
an  example  is  adduced  which  is  not  found  in  Scripture, 
to  the  effect  that  the  angel  Michael  and  the  devil  con- 
tended with  one  another  about  the  body  of  Moses. 
But  this  should  have  been  found  there,  since  so  much 
is  written  about  Moses  in  the  last  of  Deuteronomy,  of 
God's  burial  of  him,  and  yet  no  one  knew  his  grave. 
Besides,  Scripture  testifies  in  regard  to  him,  that  no 
other  prophet  has  arisen  in  Israel  like  Moses,  whom  the 
Lord  knew  face  to  face,  &c.  But  it  has  been  said,  in 
reference  to  the  same  text  also,  that  his  body  was  left 
concealed,  so  that  the  Jews  might  not  regard  it  witli 
idolatrous  veneration,  and  for  this  reason  the  angel 
Michael  must  needs  oppose  the  devil,  who  wished  that 
the  body  should  be  discovered,  that  the  Jews  might 
pray  to  it ;  and  although  Michael  was  an  archangel 
(says  Jude),  yet  was  he  not  so  bold  as  to  curse  even  the 
devil, — and  yet  these  scoffers  trample  under  foot  the 
authority  that  has  been  ordained  of  God ;  they  curse 
in  seven,  eight  and  nine  ways,  though  they  are  men 
merely ;  while  this  archangel  dared  not  curse  the 
worst  devil  that  was  ever  condemned,  but  said  no  more 
than,  the  Lord  restrain  and  punish  thee. 

V.  10.  But  these  scoff  at  what  they  know  nothing  of, 
for  what  they  know  naturally  as  brute  beasts,  in  those 
things  they  corrupt  themselves.  Such  scoffers  are  they, 
that  they  can  do  nothing  else  but  anathematize  and 


SAINT   JUDE.  325 

curse,  and  give  over  to  the  devil  for  his  own  not  only- 
kings  and  dignities,  but  God  also  and  the  saints,  as 
may  be  seen  in  the  bull,  Ccena  Domini.  They  know 
not  that  our  salvation  stands  on  the  foundation  of 
faith  and  love  ;  they  cannot  endure  that  their  works 
should  be  rejected  and  condemned,  and  that  it  should 
be  preached  that  Christ  alone  must  help  us  by  His 
works.  Therefore  they  curse  and  scoff  at  all  Chris- 
tian doctrine  which  they  are  ignorant  of.  But  what 
they  know,  through  natural  perception,— as  the  found- 
ing of  masses  and  the  like,— will  bring  in  gold  and 
treasures  ;  to  this  they  devote  themselves  with  energy, 
and  thereby  corrupt  themselves  and  every  one  else. 

Woe  unto  them,  for  they  have  gone  in  the  loay  of 
Cain.  Cain  struck  his  brother  dead,  simply  because 
he  was  more  pious  than  himself.  For  his  brother's 
offering  was  acceptable  before  God,  but  his  own  was 
not.  So  now  the  way  of  Cain  is,  to  rely  on  one's  own 
works,  and  scoff  at  those  works  which  are  good  and 
true,  and  circumvent  and  slay  those  who  go  in  the 
right  way,  just  as  these  very  ones  also  are  doing. 

And  have  hurried  for  reward  into  the  error  of  Ba- 
laam. They  should  be  fixed  inwardly  in  the  hope  of 
Divine  grace  ;  yet  they  go  forth  and  put  their  trust  in 
various  outward  works,  of  this  kind  and  that,  and  they 
do  them  only  for  the  sake  of  gold,  that  they  may  fill 
their  bellies,  like  the  prophet  Balaam,  as  we  have 
heard  in  Peter's  Epistle. 


826  THE    EPISTLE    OF 

And  perisJied  in  the  rebellion  of  Korah.  Of  the  re- 
bellion of  Korah,  and  how  he  was  destroyed,  with  his 
house,  we  have  an  account  in  the  fourth  book  of  Moses, 
xvi.  Moses  was  summoned  and  called  for  this  pur- 
pose, that  he  should  lead  the  people  out  of  Egypt  ;  and 
his  brother  Aaron  likewise  was  appointed  of  God  as 
High  Priest.  Now  Korah  was  also  of  the  same  tribe, 
and  their  friendship  should  have  been  enduring,  and 
something  more  than  common  ;  yet  he  attaches  to  him- 
self two  hundred  and  fifty  men  of  the  foremost  and 
most  distinguished  among  the  people,  and  excites  such 
a  commotion  and  tumult,  that  Moses  and  Aaron  are 
forced  to  flee.  And  Moses  fell  upon  his  face,  and 
prayed  that  God  might  not  accept  their  sacrifice  ;  and 
he  bade  the  congregation  of  the  people  draw  back  from 
them,  and  said  to  them  :  '•  Hereby  shall  ye  surely  know 
if  the  Lord  hath  sent  me  ;  if  these  men  die  and  disap- 
pear as  all  men  disappear,  then  the  Lord  hath  not  sent 
me  ;  but  if  the  Lord  shall  do  some  new  thing,  so  that 
the  earth  shall  open  her  mouth  and  swallow  them  up, 
and  they  go  down  alive  into  hell,  then  shall  ye  know 
that  these  men  have  reviled  the  Lord."  When  he  had 
spoken  these  words,  the  earth  quaked  and  opened,  and 
swallowed  up  Korah,  together  with  the  other  leaders 
of  the  rebellion,  with  all  that  they  had,  so  that  they 
went  down  alive  into  hell  ;  and  the  fire  consumed  the 
other  two  hundred  and  fifty  men  who  had  joined  them- 
selves to  him. 

This  example  Jude  sets  forth  for  these  scoffers  who 


SAINT   JUDE.  327 

blame  us  for  making  a  commotion,  while  we  preach 
against  them,  for  thej  are  the  real  ones  who  make  all 
the  trouble.  For  Christ  is  our  Aaron  and  chief-priest, 
whom  we  should  allow  to  rule  alone  ;  but  this  the 
Pope  and  bishops  have  been  unwilling  to  endure. 
They  have  set  themselves  up,  and  have  wished  to  have 
the  power  to  rule  along  with  the  authority,  and  so 
have  arrayed  themselves  against  Christ ;  but  God 
has  punished  them,  in  that  the  earth  has  swallowed 
them  up  and  covered  them,  since  they  are  absorbed 
and  swallowed  up  in  an  earthly  life  and  pleasure,  and 
are  nothing  but  pure  worldliness. 

V.  12,  13.  These  live  on  your  charities ^  and  are  vile- 
ness  itself,  while  they  feast  with  you,  feeding  themselves 
toithout  fear ;  clouds  they  are  ivithout  ivater,  driven 
about  by  the  ivind  ;  barren,  fruitless  trees,  twice  dead 
and  'plucked  up  by  the  roots ;  ivild  waves  of  the  sea, 
tvhichfoam  out  their  oiun  shame  ;  wandering  stars,  for 
whom  is  reserved  the  blackness  of  darkness  forever .  Of 
this  we  have  heard  enough  in  St.  Peter's  Epistle.  All 
the  world  have  brought  up  their  children  to  be  eccle- 
siastics, and  to  have  an  easy  life  of  it,  and  not  to  sup- 
port themselves  by  their  own  hands  and  labor  ;  nor 
must  they  even  preach,  but  only  live  without  care 
in  their  luxury,  and  keep  up  good  spirits  by  feeding 
on  the  wealth  that  poor  people  earn  by  their  sweat. 
So  men  think  they  must  be  the  best  part,  and  the 
jewel,  as  it  were,   of  Christendom,   while   they   are 


328  THE   EPISTLE   OF 

merely  shame-spots  and  an  abomination,  and  live 
well,  as  we  say,  on  the  wealth  that  belongs  to  them  as 
priests.  They  are  without  care  or  fear  ;  they  think 
the  devil  may  not  overthrow  them  ;  they  feed  not  the 
sheep,  but  are  themselves  the  wolves  that  devour  the 
sheep  ;  they  are  clouds  that  hang  over  us  in  the  air, 
sit  up  high  in  the  churches,  as  those  that  should  preach, 
and  yet  they  do  not  preach  at  all,  but  let  themselves 
be  driven  by  the  devil  this  way  and  the  other. 

So,  too,  he  says,  they  are  leafless,  fruitless  trees,  like 
the  trees  of  autumn  ;  they  have  neither  fruit  nor  leaf ; 
they  stand  there  only  like  other  trees  ;  let  themselves 
be  looked  upon  as  Christian  bishops,  but  there  is  with 
them  neither  word  nor  work,  but  all  is  dead  to  the 
root.  Moreover,  they  are  like  wild  waves  of  the  sea  ; 
that  is,  as  the  wind  tosses  and  throws  up  waves  and 
billows  upon  the  water,  so  these,  too,  go  just  as  the 
devil  leads  them.  And  they  foam  out  their  own 
shame  ;  like  a  heated  pot,  they  are  so  full  of  pollution 
that  they  run  over,  and  cannot  retain  command  of 
themselves,  but  all  must  out.  They  are  wandering 
stars,  planets  as  they  are  called,  that  go  backward, 
and  not  in  a  steady,  straight  course,  so  that  they  make 
no  true  progress  ;  their  life  and  doctrine  is  mere  error, 
in  which  they  lead  themselves  astray,  and  all  that  fol- 
low after  them.  Therefore  for  them  is  reserved  the 
blackness  of  darkness  forever. 

Thus  Jude  has  appraised  and  painted  our  spiritual 
masters,  who,  under  the  name  of  Christ  and  Christian- 


SATNT  JUDE.  329 

ity,  introduce  all  sorts  of  profligacy,  and  snatch  to 
themselves  all  the  wealth  of  the  world,  and  authorita- 
tively subject  all  men  to  themselves. 
There  follows  now,  further  : 

V.  14.  Enoch,  also,  the  seventh  from  Adam,  prophe- 
sied of  such,  and  said.  Behold,  the  Lord  cometh  luith  ten 
thousand  of  His  saints,  to  execide  judgment  upon  all. 
This  language  of  Enoch  is  nowhere  to  be  found  in 
Scripture.  For  this  reason  some  of  the  Fathers  did  not 
receive  this  Epistle,  although  there  is  not  a  sujBficient 
reason  for  rejecting  a  book  on  this  account.  For  St. 
Paul,  also,  in  II.  Tim.  iii.,  makes  mention  of  two  that 
opposed  Moses,  Jannes  and  Jambres,  names  that  are 
not  even  to  be  found  in  the  Scriptures.  But  be  this 
as  it  will,  we  let  it  pass.  Still  this  is  true,  that  God, 
from  the  beginning  of  the  world,  has  left  it  to  some  to 
make  His  word  known  (the  word  that  promises  His 
favor  and  salvation  to  believers,  but  threatens  the  un- 
believing with  judgment  and  condemnation),  even  till 
Christ's  coming  down  from  heaven,  when  it  is  openly 
preached  to  the  whole  world.  But  before  the  birth 
of  Christ  God  took  to  Himself  for  this  purpose  only  a 
single  line,  from  Adam  to  Abraham,  and  thence  to 
David,  down  to  Mary  the  mother  of  Christ,  who  pos- 
sessed His  word.  Thus  the  Gospel  has  always  been 
preached  in  the  world,  but  never  so  generally  as  now 
in  these  last  times. 

Tims,  also,  tliis  father,  Enoch,  insisted  on  that  word 


>^>S0  THE    EPTSTLK    OF 

of  God  which  he  received  from  his  father,  Adam,  and 
which  he  had  of  the  Holy  Spirit.  For  the  Scripture 
says  also  of  him,  Gen.  v.,  that  he  led  a  godly  life,  and 
therefore  he  was  taken  of  God,  so  that  he  was  seen  no 
more.  Hence,  also,  has  been  derived  the  notion  that 
He  will  come  again  before  the  last  day  ;  but  it  is  not 
to  be  supposed  that  men  would  understand  it  of  a 
spiritual  advent,  as  that  his  preaching  was  based  upon 
the  last  day,  as  this  passage  is,  wherein  that  day  is 
spoken  of  with  as  much  assurance  as  though  it  were 
in  full  view.  2'he  Lord  is  corning  already,  he  says, 
with  many  thousand  saints ;  that  is,  with  such  a  mul- 
titude as  cannot  be  numbered.  For  this  can  only  be 
said  of  the  last  day,  on  which  He  will  come  with  all 
His  saints,  to  execute  judgment.  For  before  this,  He 
has  not  come  with  many  thousand  saints,  but  alone, 
into  the  world  ;  and  this,  not  to  judge,  but  to  bestow 
grace. 

Y.  15.  And  to  'punish  all  the  ungodly  among  them^for 
all  their  godless  life^  wherein  they  have  been  ungodly. 
This  passage  Jude  does  not  inappropriately  quote,  inas- 
much as  he  is  speaking  of  false  teachers,  who  are  to  come 
before  the  last  day  ;  and  the  conclusion  is  thence  to  be 
drawn,  that  the  Lord  by  his  coming  will  overthrow 
the  Pope  and  his  government  ;  since  there  is  no  other 
help  for  it ;  for  as  long  as  the  world  stands,  there  will 
be  no  (voluntary)  ending  or  reformation  of  it.  The 
passage,  moreover,  cannot  be  understood  of  any  others, 


SAINT   JUDE.  331 

but  of  our  clergy,  who  liave  shamefully  led  all  the 
world  astray.  Their  system  cannot  be  worse,  and  even 
though  it  were  worse,  it  must  yet  hold  on  to  the  name 
of  Christ,  and  under  the  same  introduce  all  kinds  of 
mischiefs.  Thus  he  refers  this  passage  to  the  last 
judgment,  and  names  those  who  shall  suffer  judgment. 
Whence  we  infer  what  our  young  clerical  gentlemen 
shall  expect  at  the  last  day,  be  the  time  long  or  short. 

And  for  all  the  hard  speeches  luhich  Godless   sinners 
have  uttered  against  Him.  There  he  at  once  strikes  upon 
their  life  and  preaching,  and  would  say  this  much  :— 
They  speak  fiercely  and  harshly  against  the  Lord  w^ho 
is  to  come  ;  they  are  shameless  and  proud  ;  they  de- 
ride and  revile  him,  as  St.  Peter  has  said.     He  speaks 
not   of   their  sinful,  shameful  life,  but  of  their  god- 
less state.      But  the  godless  is  he  who  lives  without 
faith,  although  he   leads   a  passable  life  outwardly. 
Outwardly  wicked  works  are  indeed  the  fruits  of  un- 
belief, but  we  speak  more    particularly  of  that  as  a 
godless  state,  where  the  heart  is  full  of  unbelief.  These 
very  godless  ones  the  Lord  will  punish,  he  says,  be- 
cause their  preaching  is  shameless  and  presumptuous, 
for  they  stick  ever  to  their  own  wilfulness  ;  do  not 
permit  themselves  to  be  swayed  at  all,  and  are  as  hard 
as  an  anvil,  to  condemn  and  revile  continually.     Thus 
has  Enoch  struck  in  this  passage  at  the  very  estate 
which  before  the  last  day  should  be  in  the  world,  as 
we  now  see  it  before  our  eyes.     Jude  says,  further  : 


332  THE    EPISTLE   OF 

V.  16.  There  are  murmurers  and  complainers  who 
walk  after  their  own  lusts,  and  their  mouth  speaheth 
swelling  words.  When  men  will  not  let  their  own  cir- 
cumstances be  fair  and  favorable,  then  there  is  nothing 
but  murmuring  and  complaining.  So  when  one  does 
not  give  a  Bishop  the  title  he  claims,  then  they  cry- 
out  against  disobedience.  Besides,  they  are  such  a 
class  of  people  as  we  cannot  guard  against,  for  they 
give  out  that  they  have  a  right  over  soul  and  body  ; 
they  have  grasped  in  their  own  hands  both  the  civil 
and  spiritual  sword,  so  that  they  cannot  be  controlled, 
since  no  one  must  preach  against  them  ;  they  have  got 
rid  of  all  tax,  tribute,  and  rent,  so  that  no  one  dares 
to  touch  their  wealth,  besides,  none  dares  preach  a 
word  without  first  asking  them  about  it.  And  even 
though  one  should  attack  them  with  Scripture,  yet  they 
say  that  none  but  they  only  must  be  suffered  to  ex- 
plain Scripture.  Thus  they  live  in  all  respects  as  they 
will,  according  to  their  lusts.  For  they  cannot  ex- 
plain that  to  us,  as  they  would  be  glad  to,  since  we 
have  subjected  ourselves  both  to  the  Gospel  and  to  the 
civil  sword,  but  they  would  be  free  and  uncontrolled  of 
both.  And,  moreover,  their  whole  law  and  claim  is 
nothing  but  the  fullness  of  mere  high,  proud,  puffed-up 
words,  which  have  nothing  to  back  them. 

And  they  hold  themselves  tip  for  respect,  for  advantage 
sake.  This  is  their  way  of  judging  all,  according  to 
the  person  ;    in    all   the    Pope's   laws,   through   and 


SAINT   JUDE.  333 

through,  you  do  uot  once  find  that  a  bishop  is  to  hum- 
ble himself  below  a  priest,  or  aim  at  anything,  as  the 
fruit  of  a  christian  walk, — but  all  is  merely  of  this  sort : 
the  curate  is  to  be  subject  to  the  priest,  the  priest  sub- 
ject to  the  bishop,  the  bishop  to  the  archbishop,  but 
he  to  tlie  patriarch,  the  patriarch  to  the  Pope,  and  af- 
ter this,  how  each  is  to  wear  the  robe,  the  tonsure  and 
the  cowl,  possess  so  many  churches  and  benefices. 

Thus  they  have  reduced  it  all  to  an  outward  matter, 
and  such  is  the  child's  play  and  fool's  work,  they  are 
driving  at ;  and  they  have  accounted  it  gross  sin,  if 
any  one  does  not  hold  to  such  views.  So  that  Jude 
says  well,  that  they  put  a  mask  upon  everything,  and 
have  this  only  before  their  eyes.  Thus  no  one  knows 
anything  of  faith,  of  love,  nor  of  the  Cross  ;  whence 
the  people  generally  are  content  to  eat  and  play  the 
fool,  and  devote  all  their  property  in  the  manner  they 
do,  as  if  to  the  true  service  of  God  ;  it  is  thus  that 
they  hold  themselves  up  to  respect  for  advantage  sake. 

Y.  17.  But,  my  beloved,  rememher  ye  the  words  that 
were  said  before  by  the  Apostles  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ, 
when  they  said  to  you  that  in  the  last  times  there  should 
come  scoffers  who  should  walk  after  their  own  lusts,  in  a 
godless  state.  This  passage  shows  also  clearly,  that 
this  epistle  is  not  by  St.  Jude  the  Apostle,  for  he  does 
not  count  nor  reckon  himself  among  the  other  Apos- 
tles, but  speaks  of  them  as  of  those  who  preached  long 
before  him  ;  so  that  it  is  reasonable  to  suppose  that 


334  THE   EPISTLE   OF 

another  pious  man  wrote  the  epistle,  one  who  had  read 
St.  Peter's  epistles  and  had  drawn  this  from  that 
source.  Who  these  scoffers  are,  we  have  said  above : 
they  walk,  moreover,  after  their  own  lusts, — not  merely 
their  iSeshly  lusts,  but  those  of  that  godless  life  which 
they  lead,  and  they  shape  all  as  it  pleases  them  ;  they 
care  neither  for  worldly  authority,  nor  the  word  of 
God  ;  they  are  neither  under  external  nor  internal  gov- 
ernment, whether  divine  or  human ;  they  float  about 
between  heaven  and  earth  in  their  lust,  just  as  the 
devil  leads  them. 

V.  19.  These  are  they  ivho  make  sects,  sensual,  ivho 
have  not  the  Spirit,  There  he  has  touched  on  what 
Peter  speaks  of,  their  secretly  bringing  in  of  pestilent 
sects,  for  these  are  they  that  have  separated  themselves  ; 
they  divide  the  unity  that  is  in  faith,  will  not  let  the 
ordinary  estate  of  a  Christian  answer, — namely,  that 
wherein  one  serves  another, — but  they  set  up  other 
estates,  and  pretend  to  serve  God  hj  these.  Besides 
they  are  sensual  or  brutish  men,  who  have  no  more  un- 
derstanding and  spirit  than  an  ox  or  an  ass  ;  they  walk 
according  to  their  natural  reason  and  fleshly  mind. 
They  have  no  God's-word  by  which  they  judge  them- 
selves, or  by  which  they  can  live. 

y.  20,  21.  But,  ye  beloved,  build  yourselves  up  on  your 
most  holy  faith,  through  the  Holy  Spirit,  and  pray,  and 
keep  yourselves  in  the  love  of  Ood.  There  he  defines,  in 
few  words,  that  in  which  a  thorouohly  Christian  life 


SAINT  JUDE.  385 

consists.  Faith  is  laid  for  the  foundation  on  which  we 
are  to  build  ;  but  to  build  is  to  grow  from  day  to  day 
in  the  knowledge  of  God  and  of  Jesus  Christ,  and  this 
takes  place  through  the  working  of  the  Holy  Spirit. 
When  we  are  thus  built  up,  we  shall  do  no  work  to 
merit  anything  or  to  be  saved  by  it,  but  all  to  the 
service  of  our  neighbor.  Thus  we  are  to  watch,  that 
we  abide  in  love,  and  not  fall  from  it,  like  these  fools 
who  set  up  particular  works  and  a  peculiar  life,  and  so 
draw  people  away  from  love. 

And  look  for  the  mercy  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  unto 
eternal  life.  That  is  the  hope,  toward  which  the  Holy 
Cross  moves.  Therefore  should  our  life  be  so  shaped 
as  to  be  nothing  else  than  a  steady  longing  and  wait- 
ing for  that  life  to  come  ;  yet  so  that  that  waiting  be 
grounded  on  the  mercy  of  Christ,  so  that  we  shall  call 
upon  Him  with  such  an  understanding  as  that  he  is  to 
help  us  from  this  to  that  life  out  of  pure  mercy,  and 
not  for  any  work  or  merit  of  ours. 

Y.  22,  23.  And  of  these  take  pity^  and  distinguish  them  ; 
hut  as  to  those,  save  them  and  draw  them  out  of  the  fire. 
That  is  not  well  expressed  in  Dutch,  but  Jude  would 
say  this  much  :  on  some  take  pity,  some  save  ;  that  is, 
let  your  life  be  so  shaped  that  it  shall  allow  you  to 
have  compassion  on  these  who  are  wretched,  blind  and 
dumb  ;  have  no  joy  or  pleasure  over  them,  but  let  them 
go,  keep  from  them  and  have  nothing  to  do  with  them. 
But  as  to  those  others,  whom  ve  can  draw  forth,  save 


336  THE    EPISTLE    OF   SAINT   JUDE. 

them  by  fear, — deal  kindly  and  gently  with  them,  as 
God  has  dealt  with  you  ;  treat  them  not  harshly  or 
rudely,  but  feel  toward  them  as  toward  those  that  lie 
in  the  fire,  whom  you  are  to  draw  forth  and  rescue 
with  all  care,  consideration  and  diligence  ;  if  they  will 
not  suffer  themselves  to  be  drawn  out,  we  should  let 
them  go  and  weep  over  them, — but  not  like  the  Pope 
and  his  inquisitors,  burn  and  destroy  them  by  fire. 

And  hate  the  garment  spotted  hy  the  flesh.  We  have 
indeed  received  the  Holy  Spirit  by  faith,  and  have  been 
made  clean  ;  but  as  long  as  we  live  here,  the  old  gar- 
ment of  our  flesh  and  blood  clings  to  us  still  and  will 
not  relax  its  hold.  This  is  the  spotted  garment  that 
we  should  lay  off  and  draw  away  from  as  long  as  we 
live. 

Y.  24,  25.  Nov:  unto  Him  that  is  able  to  keep  you  from 
stumbling,  and  present  you  fiiultless  before  the  presence  of 
His  glory  with  joy  ;  to  Ood  who  alone  is  wise,  our  Saviour, 
be  glory  and  majesty,  dominion  and  power,  now  and  for- 
ever. Amen.  This  is  the  close  of  this  Epistle.  Thus 
the  Apostles  do  when  they  have  written,  taught,  ad- 
monished and  prophesied  ;  thus  they  pray,  express  their 
wishes,  and  give  thanks.  Thus  we  have  seen  in  the 
Epistles  both  what  is  true  christian  and  false  unchris- 
tian doctrine,  as  well  as  life. 

Printed  at  Wittemberg  by  Hans  Lufft,  1524. 


DATE  DUE 


